The Legend of Green Eyes
by 4string
Summary: College student Bella Swan gets in over her head when friends insist on chasing old Civil War ghost stories, specifically The Legend of Green Eyes. This is my first fic. Canon pairings, in character, & not necessarily AH, but somewhat. Sort of complete. May do epilogue.
1. Introduction

This story is based on some local lore/ghost stories of the Chickamauga Battlefield in Northwest Georgia: The Legend of Green Eyes (links on my profile)

I don' t own any of these characters, S Meyer does.

**Chapter One  
**

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

I've always sort of been weird and a bit left-of-center. I never quite fit into any certain niche in high school or much of anywhere else, but that changed when I went to college at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I immediately fell in love with my dorm roomie Alice Brandon although on paper you would think we're total opposites. She's perky and obsessed with fashion and anything remotely related with matching things and general design. She's an interior design major, and it was one of those things where we just clicked and we were instantly on the same wavelength although she has an affinity for the paranormal. I'm a logical kind of gal. Through her persistence, and she can be _very_ persistent, we went through sorority rush together and joined Alpha Delta Pi where we were eventually deemed 'twins' since we got the same big sister at the same time. Our Big is the beautiful and brainy Rosalie Hale who was also the rush chairwoman and is one year ahead of us and now the sorority president. You don't see many women who look like her that are electrical engineering majors. The joke is, "EE: you can't spell 'geek' without it!" Alice claimed that joining a sorority is wonderful for networking and getting to know people on campus.

Now I arrive back on campus for my junior year of college. Since Rose is sorority president which also means she gets the President's Suite in the sorority house which also means she gets the luxury of not having a roommate and doesn't have to share a bathroom with anyone (I think that makes it totally worth it). Though Alice and I lived in the house our sophomore year, we've decided to do dorm life again. She's our social chair now and it totally suits her while I prefer to float in the background. One can get so caught up with sorority events and other sisterly functions that it's nice to at least have somewhere you can get away from all the girly drama. Yeah, I also have never been one to have a ton of girlfriends. I've always preferred to have a few close friends than have a bunch of meaningless acquaintances. Those are the people you maintain friendships with for life rather than just until you receive your diploma.

I'm an English major with a minor in history and my crazy story begins because of my first history class of the semester: HIST 343: History of Tennessee and my desk neighbor is obsessed Civil War historian Jasper Whitlock. What on earth have I gotten myself into?

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This is my first fic, so please be gentle. :) Constructive criticism always appreciated.


	2. My new friend Jasper

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

(S Meyer owns these peeps)

**Chapter Two  
**

"_The Legend of Old Green Eyes, the ghost who is said to haunt the battlefield in various forms ranging from a Confederate soldier to a green-eyed panther, has been a part of Chickamauga Battlefield lore since the last shot was fired at the bloody battle that claimed 34,000 casualties Sept. 19-20, 1863. The tales of Green Eyes and other phantom sightings stem from the soldiers who lived through the War between the States." –Civil War Historian Edward Tinney_

I'm not sure why I chose history as my minor. I guess I've always been fascinated by times past whether it be ancient Greece or the Civil War. I can let myself get carried away into a totally different world than my own and daydream of what life would have been like for me ages ago. I wonder how I would have looked in a toga or a hoop skirt a la Scarlett O'Hara? I lose myself in a vision of bonnets, petticoats, and bustles while batting my eyelashes at a genteel soldier. The thought makes me chuckle out of my reverie as I amble my way to Brock Hall for my first class of the semester with Professor Carlisle Cullen. He's a new professor that just came here from the University of Georgia. I heard that his family is originally from this area.

I settle into a desk in the middle of the large classroom. The middle is nice and anonymous. I don't want the very back in case it's too hard to see the board or teacher and I definitely don't want to be up in the first row in the front line of fire. Since this is an upper level class I get to avoid the whole lecture hall scenario. That's one nice thing about now being out of my core curriculum. That and now my professors will finally be able to learn my name... _Oh my!_ I internally gasp. Surely _he_ can't be the professor? Remember to take a deep breath girl. Breathe girl! I am positive now that I will have perfect attendance for this class this entire semester. What else does he teach? Maybe I can get him for all my history classes? Dr Blonde Hottie is definitely not what I expected when I signed up for this class. I envisioned the stereotypical history prof: a stuffy, wrinkled curmudgeon in worn tweed rather than this Professor Hotness. He seemed to be in his early 40s although still boyishly handsome with piercing blue eyes, thick longish blonde hair and a lean six-foot physique that hints at nice things under a light blue button-up shirt and tan pants. He could have walked out of a Banana Republic ad. However, I do notice a shiny gold band on his left hand. Oh well. A girl can dream though I'm not the type to go after my professor. That's beyond tacky and cliché. I'm content to drool from afar.

I'm drawn out of my trance by the sound of someone sliding into the chair next to mine. I nonchalantly glace to my left. _Whoa!_ I'm struck my the beautiful boy taking a seat. What is this? Tall hot blonde guy day? An extremely attractive blonde 20ish guy offers me a small smile almost in apology of distracting my concentration at the hands of his not so silent chair squeaking.

"Hello, I'm Jasper," he offers with a perfect smile and hazel eyes that stare expectantly back at me. I make a quick mental note that although he is a babe, I've never been into blondes and the dumb-struck look he must be seeing is more due to being barraged by so much hotness in such a small time frame rather than wanting to jump him in the middle of class. My roomie Alice on the other hand is a total sucker for tall, blonde and babish. I must find out of he's single without giving the wrong signals. Hmmm. I smell an extracurricular project for myself.

"Ahem, hello. I'm Jasper." I quickly come back down to earth for landing.

"Sorry, I'm Bella. It's nice to meet you. Are you a history major or minor?"

"Major," he replies. "And you?"

"Minor."

"Cool. I'd like to eventually get my PhD and have my area of study be the Civil War. I'm obsessed with history in general obviously, but I'm just fascinated by the whole war dynamic. Brother fighting against brother, families being torn apart, and of course there's the fun ghost stories."

I laugh quietly in agreement since I'm familiar with some of said stories due to having a dad who's a history nut and Civil War buff, and then, Dr Cullen calls attention to the class. Yes, I will drool from afar. Sigh.

**************************************************

After class, Jasper and I chatter on about some of the local silly ghost stories as we leave the history department building. I'm supposed to meet Alice afterward for a snack so I tell Jasper he's welcome to join us since he says he doesn't have another class for an hour. Ah! This could be part one of my evil extracurricular. It's mid-August in Chattanooga so it's hard to get in the spirit of college football and other rites of Autumn. It's sticky and in the mid 80s. I'd rather find an ice cold swimming pool to jump in right now. Sweet ice tea at Coffee Crafters will have to do for now. Alice comes into my line of sight as we corner Douglas onto Vine. She's perched on a bench just outside the cafe and when she spots us, her expressive brown eyes get as big as coffee cup saucers as she takes in my companion. Yes, my devious little plan will work. "Muhahaha!" I mentally cackle to myself.

"Hey Alice! Sorry I'm a little late. Jasper, here, and I got caught up chatting after class. He's in my History of Tennessee with Dr Cullen. Jasper meet Alice, my best friend, and Alice meet Jasper, my new classmate. He's a history major."

Alice snaps out of her ogling to smirk. "I hear that Cullen is a total babe. A DILF, if you will. He can lecture me any day."

"Alice!" I chide. "How on earth does an interior design major already know what a history professor looks like when I, the history minor, had no clue. A little heads up would have been nice. Anyway, attendance in that class won't be a problem for me I'm sure." We giggle like school girls and Jasper clears his throat.

"Oops! Sorry. We can get a little carried away sometimes," I offer sheepishly. "Let's get inside and cool off."

After we order, I choose a small table with three chairs that already has two of them placed close together, so I take the chair farthest away forcing them to sit close and so Alice knows I'm not trying to claim the new man-meat.

Jasper pipes up. "We were just talking about some old ghost stories. Ghosts of Confederate soldiers and such that supposedly lurk the Chickamauga Battlefield. The most famous of these is The Legend of Green Eyes. He's a Civil War soldier who apparently lost his head and roams the fields looking for his body and then there's the version that says the green eyes are that of a ghost panther. I think I like the soldier version better."

"Ooh! I've heard of that one! There's nothing I love more than some ghost stories. I'm sort of into weird stuff like that." Alice blushes. Alice never blushes.

"You'll have to forgive her. She's watched _Ghost Hunters_ a few too many times."

Noticing her blush, Jasper jumps in, "I've always thought it would be cool go out to the battlefield with some equipment and see if there's anything to all of the hype. Of course I wouldn't know where to start. I've never really done anything like that before, but it could be interesting."

"We should make it a project! I'll check into what type of equipment we might need and see if there is anyone around here that has done that sort of thing before. We can be our own version of _Ghost Hunters_!" Alice is absolutely beaming.

"I don't really know about this. Ghosts aren't really my thing. It creeps me out. What if something bad happens? What if one of our heads starts spinning and we puke blood?" Visions of the _Exorcist_ dance around my head and I shudder.

"Silly Bella! It will be an adventure. Come on! If anything, it's something new to do in this boring town." And with that Alice starts humming the _Ghost Busters_ theme song. "If you've had a dose of a freaky ghost," she sings in her clear soprano and continues humming. I can tell Jasper is completely charmed by this display.

After almost an hour of them good-naturedly teasing me about the spooky ghosts and boogymen that are going to come and get me, we exchange our information with him and I make it a point to say that I'll tag along for their flights of fancy, but they are in charge of setting Project Spook up, thus means them doing the research on how to take such a task. I'm sure there's some sort of equipment that we'll need, right? Don't they usually have some sort of electromagnetic meters they tote around or something? Heck, maybe we'll need to stock up on stakes, garlic and crosses for good measure. Maybe Alice and I can dress as Bill Murray and Harold Ramis for Halloween this year? Why do I get dragged into these things? Because I can't say no to my friends, that's why.

**********************************

As we head to our dorm, Alice is practically bouncing up and down with ideas for our little project. She also joyously mentions that this means she'll get to hang out more with 'that hot blonde guy' as she's now dubbed Jasper. Once Alice gets a project and her mind set on something, there's nothing stopping her. I have no doubt that within a week she'll have it all mapped out.

**********************************

Later that evening we head to the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house where we've been invited to watch some preseason football. I don't really care about the football, but Alice is going and I don't want to be alone. I guess all this talk of ghosts is getting to me. Once we cross the foyer and head to the den, we spot Rosalie cuddled up next to her new fiance Emmett. Like Rose he's a senior and an EE major. They met because he was the only guy who had the guts to talk to her in one of the junior-level electrical engineering classes they shared. She originally dismissed him as a blockhead and a pig, but later found out that despite his playful and sarcastic demeanor, he's actually quite intelligent. It's hilarious to see them banter back and forth. They're perfect for each other. The pair got engaged right before school year started and plan on marrying soon after they graduate in May. Alice and I will be bridesmaids. They each can dish it out to one another and they both can take it just like amusing puzzle pieces. He did play on the university football team until a knee injury sidelined him permanently at the end of last season.

During half-time, Rose, Alice and I start chatting about 'girly' things so that's Emmett's cue to either tune out or go in search of more beer in the fridge. Alice starts cooing about Babe-raham Lincoln a.k.a. Jasper and how she needs me to set them up. I tell her just to be patient and hang around when I'm heading to or from class and they can get to know each other more through proximity. I don't believe in setting people up. I've been a victim of many friends' good intentions too many times to subject even willing participants to that torture. I still haven't completely forgiven her for making me take Mike Newton to spring formal last year. He got plastered and couldn't keep his hands or his upchuck to himself. I recoil at the tainted memory. My beautiful jade green floor-length silk gown was ruined. Talk of Babe Lincoln meanders into talk of Alice's little ghost project. At the sound of this, Emmett's ears perk up.

"Hey! I want in on that too. _Please?_" He sounds like such a puppy dog. He says he needs some adventure because he's not going to be playing this season. I swear some guys are never happy unless there is the possibility of bodily harm. Rose rolls her eyes because she knows if the three of us are involved, she'll also automatically get sucked into this project and don't let her fool you. She loves an adventure just as much as Em does. Like I said, they are two peas in an intrepid pod.

Emmett then ushers us to his room to Google 'ghost hunting' on his blue Dell laptop as his roommate Ben shakes his head incredulously and mutters on the phone to his girlfriend and fellow ADPi Angela about Em needing a new hobby and I think I heard the term "nut house" uttered.

"Tell Ang we said 'hi' and that we'll see her tomorrow night for the chapter meeting," Alice blurts before he leaves the room still shaking his head.

Alice, a.k.a. Miss Organization, catalogs a list of items we'll need and Rose mentions that she knows a guy in one of her classes, Eric, who is part of a student club that's dedicated to anything paranormal, alien, fantasy or sci-fi related and plans to consult him the next time they cross paths. She explains that he's the stereotypical engineering geek and a bit out there, but a genuinely nice guy and probably has what we need and will more than likely loan us the equip with a few bats of her eyelashes through her sapphire eyes. No guy can stand a chance when she turns on the charm. Hell, no guy can resist her even when she doesn't unleash it.

*********************************************

Two days later Rose calls Alice and lets her know that she's secured all the equipment and we just need to let her know when we want to do our outing. My friends are always insisting I need to live a little, so here goes!

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**The ghost hunting begins next chapter! Reviews make Alice sing the _Ghost Busters_ theme!**


	3. Ghost Hunting

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Three**

(S Meyer owns these folks, not moi)

"_When it passed me," he said, "I could see his hair was long like a woman's. The eyes -I'll never forget those eyes- they were glaring, almost greenish-orange in color, flashing like some sort of wild animal. The teeth were long and pointed like fangs. It was wearing a dark cape that seemed to be flapping in the wind, but there was no wind. I didn't know whether to run or scream or what. Then the headlights of an approaching car came blazing through the fog, and the thing disappeared right in front of me."—former park ranger Edward Tinney in an 1981 interview._

The next Friday night at around 11 pm, we meet up outside the Lambda Chi house to carpool and make sure we've got everything and everyone. There are six of us: Emmett, Rose, Alice, Jasper, Eric and myself. Eric brought along the electromagnetic field meter, digital thermometer, and digital audio recorder and refused to loan them to us without supervision so he officially became a part of our ghost hunting crew. I don't think we could have convinced him not to come once he found out what we were up to. Additionally, he borrowed his mom's minivan so we don't have to take a separate car which suits me just fine because there is no way on God's green earth that I can drive when I'm actually trying to encounter ghosts. I was afraid I would get roped into being chauffeur because of my beloved red Chevy Tahoe. I definitely cannot drive in this nervous state. From here we head to the Chickamauga Battlefield State Park and specifically Snodgrass Hill which is where Green Eyes is purported to lurk.

We head down I-24 to I-75 crossing over the line from Tennessee to Georgia headed to the Chickamauga National Military Park. We exit and take a long and winding highway through the small town of Fort Oglethorpe, GA. From highway two, we turn onto LaFayette Road. Soon the cluster of small businesses end and we are greeted by beautiful rolling fields and then veer right on Vittletoe-Chickamauga Road in search of Snodgrass Hill which is where Green Eyes is said to roam. After turning right again on Vittletoe Road, Eric parks the van on the side of the road. The night is cool and misty. Basically, the atmosphere is perfect for what one would imagine an appropriate night for ghost hunting would be.

We exit the van and I shiver. Not because of the temperature, but because of the eerie ambiance or maybe it's all in my head. There are even mists of fog kissing the gently rolling hills ahead. Just cue the _Twilight Zone_ music now. Eric, Rose and Jasper unload our small collection of equipment and get set up. Then we start our hike towards the monuments and cannons up the hill. Eric, Rose and Em walk together huddling around the EMF meter in Eric's hands and digital audio recorder in Emmett's grasp while Alice and Jasper join up to man the digital thermometer. I can't help, but smirk when I see Alice use any excuse to touch him. I'm waiting for her to pretend to be scared so he'll hold her. Although she's hardly a damsel in distress, she can play he role to the hilt. I feel this will be my form of entertainment and distraction tonight.

It's now just after midnight and I'm just sort of loafing in between the two groups of 'hunters'. I don't want to disrupt and derail Alice's project of nabbing Jasper so I try to give them as much privacy as possible. I'm afraid if I hang with the other group because Emmett will try to scare the life out of me due to his history of sneaking up behind me and then yelling _"BOO!"_ just to see me jump and freak. He's a really nice guy, but can't pass up a practical joke if the opportunity presents itself especially if I'm involved. He's the annoying yet lovable big bro I never had. I already hear him make booing noises while Rose giggles. I think I'm going to nickname him Boo Boo and Jasper Casper.

I stand with hands in my pockets tensed yet all of a sudden I feel a pull from somewhere. It's as if something is pulling on my chest and butterflies start churning in my stomach. I hesitantly scan the area around me and I notice a small cabin. The pull is coming from there. I slowly walk toward it like it has a chain connected to my chest, the Snodgrass Cabin as it's officially called according to the sign a few feet in front, and my heart starts thumping erratically. I swear my heart and lungs are going to jump out of my ribcage. The anticipation kills me as I approach closer and closer. I timidly touch my right hand on the door knob. I feel the compulsion to open it yet can't bring myself to turn and open. The knob burns my hand with electricity. I remind myself that I'm here with five other people and that nothing is going to happen and all of this is in my head.

The knob creaks as I twist and gently crack the door ajar. Slowly, I walk inside and sigh in relief when I look around and see it's just an empty cabin with moonlight trickling through the windows. At that moment, I feel something. A presence, but I never heard footsteps and the only sounds are my friends chatting and giggling outside. Then I hear a velvety voice behind me softly say, "I've been waiting for you." I gasp and quiver. That _had_ to have been in my head. Either that or I'm going insane. I should just go to the asylum directly after this. I'm sure Eric won't mind the pit stop on his way back to school. I tentatively turn around because it's basically my only choice seeing that my back is toward the door, but brace myself for what, I don't know. I turn my body in what seems like slow motion and yell silently. My voice has left me and I'm trembling. Standing in front of me is an inhumanly beautiful man dressed in a soldier's uniform. He's just over six-feet with auburn hair that catches in the moonlight. Below the bronze tresses I see the most gorgeous peridot colored eyes.

They sparkle like the August gemstone and it's as if they see straight through me. They are a mix of emerald, peridot and jade. I'm looking into the face of _the_ Green Eyes. He's not at all what I expected. I imagined a grotesque apparition with possibly no body, but this takes my breath away in both awe and fear.

He smiles gently and utters, "I've waited almost a 150 years for you."

I can't move. My feet are glued to the floor. I will my feet forward and slowly walk out of the cabin quietly closing the door. Now I start freaking out. I dash down the hill nearly slam into Emmett babbling incoherently while tears plummet down my cheeks.

"I saw it! I saw _him_! Green eyes!" I barely can breathe and squeak out my words. "He's real and he spoke to me!"

Five sets of eyes look back at me with disbelief in them. "What? Slow down. Tell us exactly what happened," Eric implores.

I give a play by play and hear nothing but stunned silence.

"But the meter never went off and the thermometer never picked up anything unusual," Alice whispers to herself. "None of the equipment picked up anything. Are you sure you saw something?"

"Yes! Maybe I'm going insane and need antipsychotics, but I saw _him_! I saw _something_. I want to leave! Let's go. I want to go home!" I wail desperately.

Everyone fumbles the equipment back in the trunk of the van and we hurriedly pile in. I sit shivering and rambling in the back row flanked by Alice and Rose with their arms around me. I keep mumbling, "His eyes were so beautiful! So beautiful!"

A male voice asks something, but I just hear Alice respond, "I've never seen her like this. I swear. She must have really seen something. She's not the type to freak out on a lark. She doesn't freak for no reason. She's the most logical person I know."

We pull up to the sorority house to drop Rose off and she demands that Ali and I stay with her tonight. "I'm afraid to leave her alone right now. In case she wakes up freaked out one of us can soothe her," asserts Rose as she assures the men.

"We'll be nearby at the house and dorms. Don't hesitate to yell if you need anything," booms Emmett in his deep bass voice.

We ascend the steps to the house and head to the top floor to Rose's Presidential Suite. Along the way we pass Lauren and Jessica watching infomercials lounging on the couch in the den.

"What's her deal?"

"Yeah, what's her drama now? Bad date again?" Lauren snorts.

"Shut it!" snaps Alice and the other girls are instantly stunned into silence. Alice never snaps at anyone, that's Rosalie's thing though she only does it when merited. We finally make it to her room and Rose changes into pajamas while Alice and I don some old tees of Emmett's since we didn't plan on an overnight stay. We curl up in bed with me in the middle. I'm so mentally exhausted that I fall straight to sleep, but I doubt it will be peaceful.

* * *

I walk slowly up the hill again. A cold breeze runs through the thick brown hair that almost reaches my waist. I'm in a trance-like state as my large brown eyes focus on the cabin. I am compelled to step toward it. I am helpless against its pull. I open the door without fear this time and quietly walk inside the wooden walls. He's here. He's waiting. And he's smiling the most beautiful smile I've never seen.

"Bella," he whispers almost musically.

"Yes," I utter breathlessly.

"I need you to help me. You are the one who can set me free. You can break the curse. Only you."

"Yes."

I reach out to touch his uniformed arm. My sensitive fingertips caress the woolen gray coat.

"See. You are the only one."

My eyes go wide and gasp. I jerk up to see Alice and Rose sleeping soundly on both sides of me. Oh geez! That was some dream, but it was so _real_, so _vivid_. My dreams are never that _alive_. I could touch him and you can't touch ghosts. And ghosts can't just show up in someone's dream and have it mean anything. It's just a ghost for crying out loud. It's just a dream. Goodness gracious, now my dreams are being haunted by this stupid ghost. I roll my eyes at myself. I really do need to see a psychologist now. I need to get this out of my head. Now.

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**Thanks to those who've this story to their alert lists!! I really appreciate it! I gave Bella a different red Chevy in this story because I hate that truck. Please review. Reviews make Green Eyes talk. So was it just a dream she was having? Stay tuned to find out!  
**


	4. Confessions to Dr Hotness

**Chapter Four**

(These characters belong to S Meyer)

_Charlie Fisher, another ranger, says that in the early 1970s two different people both wrecked their automobiles against the same tree. They both sworn to have seen Old Green Eyes.—Dale Kaczmarek of GhostResearch dot org  
_

This last week was a whirlwind of everything. After spending Friday night in Rose's suite, Ali and I went back to staying at our dorm room and the nightmares subsided minutely. I tried to maintain a calm façade, but it was slowly wearing on me. I was happy to find out that Jasper had asked Alice out on a real date and they were set to go out this coming Friday to a movie at the Bijou downtown and then to the football game Saturday afternoon, but this also meant more time alone for me. It's not that I didn't have people willing to spend said time with me, but Mike still didn't understand what _'sorry-but-you-puked-on-my-formal-dress-so-I'm-never-going-out-with-you'_ meant and Angela and Ben insisted I go to an off-campus party with them Friday, but being the third wheel held no interest for me. Rose and Emmett where either consumed with each other or wedding plans. I figured I could use this alone time to get ahead on some school work. I worked part-time in the Student Activities office which I loved, but that only took up so much time. Whenever I had a moment alone, I kept thinking back to my encounter the previous Friday evening.

I kept having the same dream over and over. I dreamed of that beautiful ghost-man. I still wasn't entirely sure it actually happened. I must be going crazy. Just send me to the nearby mental hospital Moccasin Bend now. It was too real. I don't freak out for no reason like that and it truly _freaked_ me out! I was the daughter of a chief of police for crying out loud, albeit a small town police chief, but chief none the less. I've heard of him dealing with nut-cases a zillion times. Am I any better? I feel like my endearingly flighty mom Renee. Sadly, she passed on two years ago of breast cancer. My dad still hadn't totally gotten over it. They loved each other so much. I only hoped to one day find someone who could love and make me so happy as they did one another. I had to smile when I thought of this. To the very end, they still looked at each other with the gooey eyes of adoration until she breathed her last breath at Erlanger Medical. My close relationship with my folks was one of the reasons I decided to go to college nearby and I don't regret it one bit. I also didn't want to risk being away from my mom when her health was so precarious. Thankfully, my parents had saved since I was born for my college and I had a scholarship that helped expenses.

I shook my head and willed myself to snap out of it. Although I regularly visited mom's grave nearby, I didn't need to wallow in pity or depressive topics. If I thought of mom, it only tended to bring me down. That was the last thing I needed right now. I tried to plot my weekend since my closest friends had plans. I already planned to go to church services Sunday morning at a nearby church within walking distance as I usually do although I still have a soft spot for my home church which is within driving distance, but I hate driving and try not to do it unless absolutely necessary. Yep, the ghost-hunting girl goes to church and hates driving to top it all off. I can't help but chuckle to myself. Geez, I'm such a weirdo! I thought as I fingered the small silver cross around my neck hanging from a silver chain as it rested next to my sorority lavaliere.

As I let my mind wonder, I couldn't help but be curious if Dr Cullen knew anything about Civil War legends and lore. His area of expertise is the Civil War in Georgia and Tennessee as Jasper had pointed out before class yesterday. Perhaps, he could be of some help? He'd probably think I'm a nut asking about ghost stories, but maybe it would show I'm really into his area of study? Brownie points can't hurt, right? He'll probably just think I'm a loon, but it doesn't hurt to ask after class on Wednesday. If anything, it will show I'm sincerely interested in what we are working on. Yeah! That's it, I feebly assure myself.

I head to my class as normal on Wednesday and make small talk with Jasper. He's excited about his and Alice's first date. He tactfully asks how I'm doing since he knows I've been a bit on edge since the whole battlefield ghost debacle. I tell him I'm fine and that the nightmares aren't as bad as they first were. There's no need to worry him or Alice more than necessary. The dreams have been a bit more abstract this past week, but it's always a similar one. _Me walking through the battlefield to the cabin and seeking Green Eyes. _Sometimes he's there and just silently smiles at me and I try to ask him questions, but it's as if he can't hear me, and in others I'm desperately searching and can't find him no matter what after wandering and wandering. Those dreams usually end with me collapsing in a field from exhaustion and then I fall asleep.

Dr Hotness, PhD walks in the room and begins class. The subject is the state constitution today.

At the end of class, Jasper looks over to me and asks if I want to grab something to eat, but I tell him I need to ask Dr Cullen about a paper that's due soon. He notices my nervousness and gives me a questioning look, but I ignore it and implore him to go on without me. Once he's gone and Dr Cullen is packing up his briefcase, I hesitantly shuffle to the podium.

"Uh. Dr Cullen, I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something. Sort of a project I've been working on in my own time."

"Sure. Let's head to my office up on the next floor and we can discuss it there."

We walk up the stairs and I realize I've never seen his office and am anxious to see if there are any pictures of his family. I'm eager to see what his wife looks like. I want to see who bagged this hot man and if he has any kids. It would be a shame if he didn't pass his genes along to some genetically blessed offspring.

"Right this way," he says as he unlocks the door and motions for me to step in first.

"Let me just put a few things away and then we can get down to business. Make yourself comfortable."

I can't help it, but have a few unladylike thoughts at his words and smirk to myself. Mmmm…I'd like to run my fingers through that thick blonde hair or run my fingertips across that beautiful defined jaw. What do his lips taste like? I also visualize what he looks like without a shirt. It's obvious he works out. Not helping, Bella, I chastise.

I scan the room and find what I was looking for. I see a picture of him with a beautiful woman with long caramel colored haired who looks to be around the same age or perhaps a couple of years younger. They must have a daughter who's around ten because I see other family photos containing an adorable little girl with strawberry blonde curls flowing down her back. Professor Cullen notices my perusal of the photos and offers, "That's my wife Esme and our daughter Tanya. That little girl already seems boy crazy. I'm going to have my hands full with that one. I guess I should invest in a shotgun." He chortles. "Ok. Now where were we? What did you need help with?" His handsome face is open and friendly and his blue eyes bright.

"Um, I know you're going to think I'm nuts, but I was wondering if you know anything about Civil War legends. Er, specifically about Green Eyes." I start blushing profusely. He probably thinks I'm a nut. What sane person takes up their professor's time with asking about ghost stories? I might as well stamp Weirdo on my forehead and brace myself for being laughed at although Dr Cullen is way too professional and nice to do that. He probably just mentally lowered my next quiz grade five points.

His eyes light up and a fascinated look spreads across his face. This was not the response I expected. I was prepared for him to patiently humor me for a moment and then ask if I had anything class-related to talk about and push me out the door.

"Yes. I'm very familiar with it being that I'm originally from the area. You can't live this close to the military park and not have heard that one. That's the most famous of all the stories. Believe it or not, some reputable people have attested to seeing it, or him, in the flesh, uh, or spirit." He lets out a velvety chuckle, but there also seems to be more than meets the ears in the slight nervous edge to the laughter.

I figure I would just go ahead and come clean since he didn't laugh me out of his office.

"About a week or so ago, some friends and I went to the park as an experiment of sorts. It started out as something for some bored college kids to do, but then morphed into something a bit more, uh, freaky. One of the guys brought some ghost hunting equipment and we headed to Snodgrass Hill around midnight."

I continued on and recounted the details of what happened and then that first nightmare. He looked thoughtful, concerned and not amused like I imagined a normal person would be. I swear he even seemed to pale a bit.

"I enjoy ancestral research. It's so fascinating to find out where we all come from. It can subliminally shape who we are and learn about some intriguing relatives in the process." He goes on rambling a bit about family trees and lineage. I wonder where he's going with it and then he says, "Some of my ancestors fought in the Civil War, specifically the Battle of Chickamauga. This is what got me interested in teaching and researching history way back when. It became my calling."

I sit tense, anticipating what he says next. I have no idea where he's going with this.

"In my research, I found that several long-ago relatives fought in that battle. Most of them were officers and a one died there. My great grandmother's maiden name was Masen and many of the Masen men fought. However, the only one that died was a twenty year-old corporal, Edward Anthony Masen."

"In your research, did you find out much about him?"

"He died at the battle at Snodgrass Hill September 20, 1863 from a rifled musket shot to the chest. He was betrothed to a general's daughter named Irene Marie who did not like the idea of him fighting and was very angry when he enlisted. They were to be married right after the war ended. So the story goes that she was so furious at her fiancé that she placed a curse on him if he were to perish in battle. She supposedly cursed him to walk the area where he died for eternity looking for his beloved and since he would never be able to find her due to Irene being from Knoxville and then eventually passing on her own, he would be punished for eternity. I've seen very old pictures, drawings and descriptions of him and he was said to be one of the most handsome men in Knoxville and every mother wanted her daughter to be courted by him. He's described as a muscularly lean six feet with strong features. Wild auburn hair, radiant smile, and piercing green eyes that made all the coquettes melt. The Southern belles were heartbroken when he wooed Irene. She was said to be exquisite with big doe eyes, porcelain skin and thick brown hair that tumbled to the waist of her petite frame. She wound up marrying a former major after all the fighting stopped."

"Is Corporal Masen Green Eyes?" I ask with trepidation.

"Yes. Were you named after anyone in your family?" He gives me a penetrating and intense stare. I know exactly what he's thinking.

"I have a grandmother named Marie, but that's the only Marie I know of and I'm the only Isabella and I don't think there are any of us from Knoxville." I made a mental note to ask dad if we ever had relatives from there.

"But you remember what he said about breaking the curse."

"But I'm not Irene even if we were distantly related. I can't do anything. I wouldn't know what to do anyway. I doubt there's any info out there about an alleged curse. It's just a silly tale to freak people out. Irene was ticked so she must have just gone around telling people she cursed her dead love to anyone who would listen."

"Let me do some research and I'll get back to you. Can I get your email address? I do have to admit I would normally think all of this is silly too. The paranormal isn't exactly my forte so let's keep this on the down-low," he says with an attractive laugh. A laugh that reminds me of another attractive voice I've recently heard, I think darkly.

We say our good-byes and I head out of Brock Hall with a heavy mind. What am I supposed to do with what I've just heard?

I arrive back to the dorm and thankfully Alice is not around so it's nice and peaceful as the late summer sun filters through our windows. Her absence also allows me to do my detective work sans interruptions and interrogations and I power up my laptop. At the Yahoo homepage I type in variations of ghosts, curses, Civil War, etc. and don't really get anywhere. I sigh and decide to catch up on email and start homework. Then I'm reminded that I should call my dad and ask if we have any family from Knoxville.

"Hey dad!"

"What's up Bells? How's Alice? Meet anyone new?"

"Ali is great and just started dating a guy from my history class, Jasper. He's really cool and she's totally smitten."

"Nice. Why haven't you snatched up a date? Wasn't your last date that loser you took to spring formal?"

I groan and let out a huff of air. "Dad, I don't know if that even counts as a date. He was horrid. He threw up on my dress and kept hitting on my friends." I intentionally don't answer the question about 'snatching up' a guy. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you about our family. Where we're originally from and so forth."

"Yeah. What can I help you with?"

"Do we have any family from Knoxville? I was talking with someone about ancestral research and family trees and it got me curious. I was mentally going over where our family may have come from for some reason Knoxville popped in my head." I just don't bother to get into the specific reason I'm curious about Knoxville.

"Hmm? Maybe. Let me think for a moment. I think your mom may have had some distant relatives from there, but that would have had to been forever ago. I doubt we still have any family there. We're mostly from this area, Virginia and Alabama."

"Okay, dad, thanks. I was just wondering."

"No problem honey."

We chit chat a little more and I feel a heaviness on my heart after we hang up.

* * *

It's late Saturday morning and it's beautiful and unseasonably cool making me eager for fall to come in full swing. Alice just headed out with Jasper, Rose and Emmett to the football game and to tail gate. Alice and Jasper's movie date last night went wonderful according to her and the stupid smile she wore when she got home. She then went on to tell me what a wonderful kisser he is. He was going to try to be a gentleman and not kiss her until the second date, but she attacked him anyway. That's my Alice and I can't help but smile.

I've had to itch to visit the battlefield park since my conversation with Dr Cullen Wednesday, but there's no way on earth I would do that in the dark. I suddenly grab my keys and hop in my Tahoe and head south down I-75. It's bright and sunny and the park will surely have lots of people out taking advantage of the cooler weather.

I pull up to where we visited a couple of weeks ago although now it looks much less ominous in the sun with families milling about flying kites, having picnics and playing tag. The rolling hills look beautiful rather than creepy. I fold out my picnic blanket, pull out my snack and plop next to my backpack under the shade of a huge maple. Here is good as anywhere else to fritter away time doing homework. My eyes automatically keep turning back to the cabin across the field making it hard to concentrate on what I'm reading. I finally close my book and stare at the tiny wooden structure. I gather my things and take them back to the truck. I take a big breath and head over to the cabin. Nothing is going to happen to me out here. It's silly of me to be so edgy about Mr GE.

I approach the door and slowly turn the knob and push it open. "I'm such a dork," I keep saying to myself. It's just a stupid cabin. I walk in and watch the dust motes dance in the sunlight of the ancient windows. I step in further and study the cabin more thoroughly running my fingers along the grains of the worn wood. I hum wordlessly finally enjoying myself. I feel at peace. I glance around the room as I'm about to leave and I notice a folded up piece of paper I could swear wasn't there before. No one had come in since I arrived. I must be letting my imagination get the best of me. After all, it's been a weird couple of weeks. It must have been here all along and I just didn't notice it. I step slowly toward it and gingerly pick it up. I figure if it's supposed to be private why would the letter writer leave it in a public place? No, I'm not violating anyone's privacy. The paper looks dirty, but not old. I carefully unfold it. Maybe some forbidden lovers are passing notes to each other. The thought amuses me and I smile. My smile turns into a gape when I read the contents written in an elegant script.

_My dearest Marie,_

_I knew you would eventually be back though I did not think it would be so soon.  
You cannot forget me as I cannot forget you. You are on my mind always and I apologize for frightening you.  
I regret that I cannot allow you to see me during the daylight, but please come back  
and meet me at twilight here at the cabin. It does not matter the day since I cannot leave the battlefield and will  
always be here waiting. One learns patience after 150 years. I am anxious to see you again. Until next time._

_Love Always,__  
Your Edward

* * *

_

**Thanks so much to those who are reading and recommending this story especially CatMasters. Check out her story Darkest Before the Dawn at fanfiction dot net/s/5393919/1/**


	5. Green Eyes

**Chapter Five**

(These peeps don't belong to me, but Stephenie Meyer)

"_The park's bloody history is clearly fact and not fiction. During the Civil War's Battle of Chickamauga, about 4,000 soldiers killed in two days. And Chickamauga is a Cherokee word that means "River of Death," ghost hunters and park rangers said."—journalist Chloe Morrison_

I stood stunned. My world got turned upside down. Chills ran up and down my spine and I felt as if I was being watched although the others in this beautiful bucolic landscape merrily went on about their business of playing in the fall sun. My thumbs grazed over the roughish texture of the folded paper. My mind was a blank and my stomach felt like it dropped to my knees. My legs wouldn't move. I just wanted to go vacant and feel nothing. How on earth had this happened? I've heard of ghosts and haunting, but it always seemed silly and abstract, and even when I thought of the loons who've claimed to have encountered ghosts, they've never passed physical objects to one another. Ghosts can't pass notes. Suddenly the scene from _Ghost_ where Patrick Swayze's character is in the train station and the older ghost is teaching him how to move the soda can enters my head. Silly girl, that's a movie. I mentally slap myself. Maybe Edward isn't like a regular ghost if even ghosts can be 'regular,' I chuckle internally. Perhaps that's why he didn't set off their equipment that Friday night? Who knows? Does it matter? Regardless, I have some mysterious being that knows my name and is passing notes.

I'm undecided on what to do. Do I come back here later tonight? Do I just say "forget it" and pretend this didn't happen? I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't have a magnetic pull towards this particular spooky creature. It's almost as if I can't stay away and I would be in physical pain by just tossing all of this aside. The thought of never coming back hurts and, try as I might, I'd never be able to forget these two encounters I've had with him. I suppose I have my answer then.

I text Alice and tell her I'm going to stay at my dad's tonight so she doesn't worry. She calls and asks if anything is wrong and I just partially lie and say that I'm a touch homesick and miss Charlie. She buys the excuse. Little does she know that my main purpose is to come back here at dusk and meet my ghostly admirer and get some answers.

I hop in my red SUV and head toward my childhood home. Thankfully, dad is still out fishing with his best friend Billy so I don't have to explain why I'm home right when I walk through the door. Hours pass and I half-heartedly finish some schoolwork in an attempt to get my mind off of what I'm about to do. I also distract myself with making a light dinner and catch some TV. My mind keeps wondering off, my heart speeds up and my belly tenses the more I think about tonight. I write a note to Charlie so he doesn't get worried when he notices I've been home, but am not there.

_Dad,_

_Headed out to run some errands and catch up with an old friend. Be back later._

_Love, B_

Little does he know how _old_ the friend I'm catching up with is, I think darkly amused. I still can't believe I'm going to do this. Oh well, now or never. I pack up a flashlight and make sure my cell is fully charged. I can't help but feel a sense of danger to all of this. I'm not sure if calling 911 will really help if I have a mishap with a ghost, but I'm more scared of running into some less than nice humans rather than the apparition although crime is relatively non-existent in this quaint town. I lock up and take a big breath and jump into the driver's seat and pull the pepper spray out of my glove box.

The drive to the park is nerve racking. My mind goes in a zillion places at once and through a zillion different scenarios, but there's no turning back now. I try to let the songs of my iPod coming through my car speakers comfort me. It really doesn't help. I pull up beside the sprawling haunted landscape and sigh. There is still light out, but it's just turning dark. I woman up and get out of the truck, lock it and trudge up the hill to the cabin.

I'm overwhelmed once again. Halfway up the hill I stop and zone out. The pull is still there, but maybe it's because of my new obsession? Once I start on a project, my mind can get single focused. I pat my jeans pockets again feeling the pepper spray and my cell. I figure I have nothing to fear from this particular ghost. He hasn't harmed me. He's been a friendly ghost just like Casper. I laugh almost hysterically. Yes, I'm really losing it.

I finish the hike and take a deep breath just outside the door. "Here goes nothing," I mutter to myself. I gently push the wooden door open with my eyes closed. I'm almost afraid to even take a peep. I cautiously open them and see nothing. I slowly enter and I can hear my heavy breathing and heart pounding.

"Hello," I croak out weakly. "Are you here Mr Ghost? Corporal Masen?"

"Hello," a soft, velvety voice responds.

I gasp quietly. I guess I'm not really hallucinating. Are all the stupid ghost stories I've heard over the years actually real? After a minute, I turn around inch by deliberate inch.

There he is. He's even more handsome than I remember. He's slightly transparent, but fully in color. I always imagined ghosts to be monochromatic for some reason and I must have been too freaked last time to even think about this. He takes off his hat and bows slightly, ever the Southern gent.

"It's wonderful to see you again ma'am." He puts his hat back atop his beautiful, thick mop of bronze.

"U-u-h, I-I, how d-do you kn-know me?" I stutter like an idiot and I can feel my face go red.

"Like I said before, I've been waiting for you."

"How? Why? I've heard the stories,but..." I mutter more to myself than him.

"May I?" he asks as he walks slowly toward me. I can only manage a small nod as my mouth partially hangs open.

"Can we go outside the cabin? I swear if I stay in here, I'm going to hyperventilate."

"Sure," he responds in a gentle tone. "Lead the way."

I walk out without bothering to close the door. I instantly slump to the ground cross-legged against the little structure. My breathing comes in pants and I close my eyes trying to calm myself. I let out a whoosh and slowly lift my eyes up.

"Who are you? Are you real? Why did you show yourself to me? Has anyone else seen you?" It all comes out in a rush.

He softly laughs. It's such a beautiful, musical sound. "My, my. We certainly are curious, aren't we?"

His smile is so beautiful and I can't help but smile broadly back. It makes no sense, but his crooked smile breaks and melts my heart in the same moment. I've never felt this way. My insides are mush. It's just my luck to get infatuated with a ghost. For some reason I can't explain, this feels like more than infatuation. I feel a little more complete in his presence. It makes no sense.

"Yes." I mutter breathlessly. He probably thinks I'm an idiot who can't talk.

He sits across mirroring my posture with his hands resting on his knees. I'm drawn now to his legs and start wondering what they look like under the soldier breeches. _Umm…a man in uniform. Mmm…_

He breaks me out of my lusting by saying, "I want to know you. I think you're the one."

"But I'm not _her_. I'm not the one who placed the curse. I'm not Irene."

"Ah! I see you've gotten some detailed information regarding my history." A look of amusement flits across his amazing face.

I blush and look down. "I have a college professor who says he's descended from your family. His great grandmother was a Masen although I never got her first name. He gave me the story. His name is Carlisle Cullen. Has _he_ seen you?" I can't believe I forgot to ask Dr Cullen if he'd ever encounter his spirit relative.

"No. You're the only one who's been able to see me. It's been lonely. You have no idea," he whispers, gazes down and a look of unqualified sadness is upon him. It wrenches my heart. I just want to hold him and tell him it will get better. That he has a friend now. My bones feel spongy. I now feel an irrevocable hold to him.

"When I was lying on the field dying, I heard her voice cursing me. Dooming me. Why would someone who is supposed to love you do that?" He seems so lost. "I always thought she was my true love. So I've been roaming these grounds for around 150 years. Just pacing, walking. I've been so empty and lonely. I tried to reach out to people who visit the park, but no one saw me, but I also didn't want to frighten anyone. All the people who've claimed to see Green Eyes, have not seen me. They've seen other ghastly apparitions that haunt here. Although they mean harm and enjoy frightening people, they ignore me. They can see me, but they just pass on by."

If a ghost could shed tears, I swear he'd be spilling salty water right now. Moisture starts to well up in my ducts.

"The night you came here with your friends I had the strangest feeling. I swear if a dead heart could beat, it would have beat that night. In a century and a half, I've never felt that way. I sensed you although I didn't know it was you yet. A sense of hope fluttered through me, but I was afraid to give into the pleasant feeling. One becomes a pessimist once you've been through what I have." He pauses. "Then you walked in the cabin and you actually saw and heard me. You even look so much like her. I've never felt such joy in my entire life. Then you came back again. I was sure I had scared you off, but here you are. So you have to be the _one_."

A sweet smile spreads across his mouth and it is truly dark outside. It seems as if no time has passed since I got here. It's as if time is meaningless when I'm in his presence. After a few moments of quiet, I speak up.

"I couldn't explain the pull I felt toward the little house. It was like a rope had been tied around me and was tugging me unconsciously. It wasn't even my idea to come out here that night. My crazy friends drug me out here." I look down and chuckle to myself.

"I saw you. Yes, I was scared. You just don't see ghosts every day." I laugh loudly this time. "But I was more in awe than anything else and couldn't get my mind off of the moment I saw you."

I can't believe I'm sitting here calmly having a discussion with a ghost. I try not to think too hard about that fact.

"How were you able to write that note? Can you move objects?"

"Since you, a lot of things have changed for me. I was never able to do anything physical in the outside world. That afternoon, I got a hunch and quickly stole a piece of paper and pencil from someone's pack when I sensed you again. That was the first time. It confirmed things for me more."

"Can we get you out of this _state_? Can you become free and go to your final resting place?" The thought of never seeing him again sends a pang of hurt in my belly and I frown.

He senses my sadness and murmurs, "Perhaps, I could become human again like you." He looks so vulnerable, so innocent. I'm so torn.

"Maybe we can see if there is anything that can be done? I can do some research. Ask friends who are into the paranormal or anyone who's into the Civil War if they know of anything. I can't let you stay out here all by yourself for the rest of eternity. I must help you. I have to," I say that last sentence just above a whisper.

"It's late and I don't want my father to worry, but I'll be back. Is there anyway I can see you in the daytime? That would be easier for my schedule and easier for me to explain to others."

"We can try. If I could write a letter that afternoon perhaps it could be possible? We could meet in the woods just off the main area of the pasture." He gestures behind himself.

"Okay. I'll try to come here tomorrow afternoon."

He looks elated and I can't help but feel the same. I don't want to leave, but I really have to unless I want to do some crazy explaining to Charlie and I don't want to lie. With that, I slowly walk back to my truck and when I start the engine, I see him disappear into the woods. I sigh and wish I could stay here forever.

Thankfully when I get to my dad's, he doesn't ask too many questions.

"Hey Bells! Did you get to see your friend? Anyone I'd know?"

"No, dad. Just someone from way back." _Way way back_, I think amused.

I go in for the offense and deflect the conversation from my evening activities.

"Did you and Billy catch a lot of fish?"

And with that, he goes into a detailed account of their day and I sigh in relief.

Later, I lie in my childhood bed and can only see those beautiful green eyes. I'm sure I'll dream about them again tonight. Hopefully I'll get to see them in person tomorrow.

* * *

**I'm so encouraged by the reviews!! Thanks so much!! Reviews make Ghostward pass notes. There's now a thread on Twilighted dedicated to LoGE: twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=33&t=7178 There's also a link on my profile.  
**


	6. Carlisle

Thanks to all of those who are reading, reviewing and recommending this fic. I wish I could respond to all of you individually. This short chapter deviates from Bella narration to Carlisle. It's short, but necessary. The next chapter will go back to Bella's POV. This is almost a chapterette. lol! Some have asked if Bella is Irene reborn and she is not, just a distant relative.

I apologize if I inadvertently offended any EE majors in that first chapter. I dated an EE major briefly in college and he was the one who told me that joke. :)

* * *

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Six**

_Park Ranger Rob Turan said he's heard that the story of Green Eyes [and it] is a myth that was made up to bring intrigue to the park.—Chattanooga Times-Free Press article_

War, war and more war. I wish it would all end. I am a peaceful man although I enlisted to help my family and friends. I want to protect them. The fighting will never end it seems. Chickamauga was rough. Thankfully, I enlisted after that skirmish, but here I am. Will this war ever end? The mountains here are beautiful and in any other circumstance I would admire the area's beauty, but unfortunately right now it is a theatre of death. We await the enemy as they march down from Tennessee. Will I make it back to my family and friends? Why are we even fighting? Although I'm fighting on the side of the gray, I believe all people, regardless of color, should be treated equally. I'm only here to protect the safety of my loved ones. What is my purpose? God must have a plan for me in this sticky summer of 1864. I must have faith. If I lose faith, what else is there?

I'm also fighting because everything I loved was ripped away from under me. My wife and son are gone. Sherman and the Yanks thought it would be lovely to torch and destroy Dalton. I hate war when it affects the innocent. Fine, go after the political leaders and military, but leave the innocent alone. A fire consumed my family home on February 23, 1864 while I was away tending to a burgeoning vicarage just north of Atlanta. I am the rector for our church in Dalton, well, I was until a different kind of fire consumed me and decided I couldn't sit idly by while others got hurt.

It's July 26 and we are waiting up on Kennesaw Mountain for battle. We predict they will be down here by tomorrow. This is my last respite of peace before all hell breaks loose. Literally. So I will sit here and say my prayers before retiring for the night to dream about my wife and son.

************

Death is quick and painless. Easy. It's the moments before that are excruciating, but apparently I'm not done here. After the battle, I was given a second chance at life, sort of. A vision appeared before me and said it is my purpose to ease the pain of one cursed by battle. I'm here to aid the healing of a brother-in-arms and distant relative. I was told that I will not age until the catalyst arrives, whatever that may mean. He said I would receive another vision when it happens and will periodically receive more clues as the time gets closer. I'm not human, but not dead. I'm not sure what I am, but I have been left here to soothe and heal a broken heart. Perhaps mine will get healed in the process.

************

Through the years, I have been immune to illness and other frailties that strike humanity, so for awhile I traveled. I've been all over Europe, South America and even did a stint in Africa. Once the novelty of that wore off, I decided to go back to college. After getting several degrees, I decided history was my passion. Heck, I lived it after all. I've received numerous PhDs and Master's degrees in varying subjects. I thirst for knowledge. What else is there to do while you wait? I know I sound bitter, but I no longer am. Things picked up for me September 1988.

I had another vision (the first in a very long time) that I would become fully human again on September 13, 1988. I finally had hope. So I put my education to use and started teaching in various universities around the Southeast because I did not want to stray too far from the area where the catalyst came. All I was told is that it would arrive from close to where my ancestors descended. I still did not know what the 'catalyst' was or is. I didn't know if it was a thing or a person or a combination. I just bided my time. I would be told when it was time to return.

While teaching at Emory University in the early 90s, I decided to renovate an old beaten down Victorian that had great bones. An architect that specializes in old death traps came highly recommended via a colleague. That was the best recommendation ever given. Period. From the moment I saw her I knew she was like nothing I had ever seen before. I was amazed at her passion for her profession and how detail oriented she was. She modernized the former hovel and turned it into a spectacular show house while still staying true to its original look. I resigned myself to a life of loneliness since my family was brutally taken away, but she became my sun in a cold, dark world. We married in the summer of 1995. In 1999, we were blessed with a healthy and beautiful baby girl. Things just kept getting better. I was on the verge of getting my happily every after.

I couldn't believe the grace in which Esme took the tale of my long and strange life. It alarmed her out at first, but she decided it didn't matter because she loved me and that is all that counts.

About a year ago I was teaching at the University of Georgia when another vision struck. I was grading papers in my office late one chilly afternoon. It was the clearest of the visions I had ever gotten. I was told to move to Chattanooga and start teaching at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga the next fall and that the time had come.

I dutifully followed directions, not sure what exactly I needed to do, and moved during this summer. I took a teaching post, Esme worked part time as an interior designer and we enrolled Tanya in area private school. We've also been blessed with the news that we are pregnant again, but with twin girls! We weren't even trying when it happened. We had given up after years of trying for number two. Pleasant surprises indeed.

The fall semester started out like much all the others at any random university. I had my lesson plan and syllabus all designed out. I still did not know why I had been sent here, but my visions had never steered me wrong thus far so I unquestioningly obeyed. Things were moving along smoothly and subsequently a couple of weeks into the semester a student asked me about ghost stories and specifically a particular one relating to the Civil War. I knew exactly where this was headed and I had to help see it through. Out of curiosity I looked into the school computer system and saw her birthday is September 13, 1988. She is the catalyst. Now we just have to figure everything out and solve the mystery of the curse. How do we break it and where do I figure into that?

* * *

**A/N: Now we know a bit more about Carlisle and why he seemed to pale and be on edge when he and Bella discussed the ghost story & why a logical history prof would even take the time to bother with something like this. Check out the thread for this fic on twilighted (link is on my profile). Shoutouts to CatMasters, Hev and Lorilei! To Openhome (read her great story of Alice and Jasper called Coalesce), history buffs are not nerds!! :D**


	7. More Conversations with Green Eyes

**You will get more Carlisle in the future. I've decided to intermittently write his point of view because it seemed needed to propel the story forward and fill holes and questions and just because I like him. :)** **I also want to recommend a new story I'm beta-ing called Empty by Hev99: fanfiction (dot) net/s/5513825/1/Empty**

* * *

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Seven**

_If Georgia has its own Loch Ness Monster, it may very well be "Ol' Green Eyes," a legendary creature that, according to numerous ghost hunters and tourists through the years, still haunts the massive national park at Chickamauga Battlefield. Green Eyes isn't the only apparition roaming the grounds of Chickamauga, but he certainly is the most famous._

**BPOV:**

Sleep didn't come easy last night. I tossed and turned I don't know how many times. I think I only got five hours in. It's a bright and sunny Sunday morning and it's time to rise and shine and get ready for church. I have that cautiously hopeful feeling that one gets when you are excited about something cool that's about to happen, yet there's a possibility that it won't so you don't want to get your hopes up too much. I don't think I can wait a whole week to see him again and coming out tonight is out of the question since I have classes tomorrow morning. _Geez_, I want this to work out today. I'm getting obsessed. This can't be healthy.

******

Church was good, but I could barely pay attention to anything going on around me. I might have well just slept in for all the good it did me. I'm now driving home to change and head to the park.

I change into some skinny jeans, a red vee-neck tee and red Converse. Yes, red is my favorite color. I gather up my things and bid adieu to Charlie for until the next time I visit. I tell him I'm going to do some studying at the park for a nice scenic place to get things done. I'm not ready to come out of the closet with this whole ghost thing. He'd probably send me to a psychiatrist. I chuckle darkly. If he only knew.

I let out a whoosh of air. "You can do this," I mumble to myself. I hop in the driver's seat and start 'er up and head to the hill. _Our hill._ The thought of having our own special place brings a warm feeling through my veins. Why am I feeling warm feelings? I barely know this person, er, ghost. _Sigh._ I just hope we can see and talk to each other. He said he's been able to do more things since first laying eyes on me so maybe this will work. Maybe one day soon I will even be able to touch or kiss him. _Mmmmm._ A smile involuntarily spreads across my face, but that pessimistic voice nags in the back of my head warning that I shouldn't get too attached since none of this may work out and it all may be in vain. If he can meet me today, then that's a step in the right direction and it shows that things can progress in the right course.

I pull along the expanse of grass, grab my bag and lock the car. Here goes nothing. I walk up the knolls toward the cabin. He said to go out in the woods directly to the side of the Snodgrass House and I imagine that I'll probably need to go to a thicker area due to the sunlight.

I quietly and slowly take my first step in the woods and pan around the area in front of me. Nothing yet, but I didn't really expect to be able to go just inside the first line of trees and see him. It's probably better that we meet in a more isolated locale since I don't exactly want to be seen as walking around and having a conversation with no one. The other park-goers would definitely think I'm nuts, but, hey, what else is new?

The pine needles, leaves, and rocks crunch under my sneakers as I take unhurried, deliberate steps brushing aside the bracken. It's still fairly light here so I keep going. I assume that he'll flag me down once I get to a vicinity where we can meet, but then again, if he can't appear at all during the day he wouldn't be able to communicate. He was able to leave a note last time so I keep pressing on. I try to mark my path so I will know my way back out although I'm only going as far as the first dense area. I'll wait a little bit and if nothing happens, I'll head back to the dorm, but I keep my fingers crossed.

I look around the copse of trees and bide my time. I spot a tree stump that will serve as the perfect impromptu stool and there is nary a soul to be seen. I pull me knees up to my chest, rest my chin on them and nearly fall asleep. My lack of snoozing last night is catching up on me.

"Bella," says the voice I would recognize anywhere.

I bolt upright, jarred and frantically crane my head around back and forth. Did I imagine it?

"Stay where you are dear. I will come to you."

I hear absolutely nothing, but it's not like I expected to hear footsteps. I let out a rush of breath I didn't realize I was holding. As excited as I am about all of this, I can't help but still be a little freaked. I'm too nervous to even move my head from looking straight forward and sit rigid. My breaths are shallow and I wait restlessly.

Then he steps out of the thicket toward my little makeshift chair. He's still slightly transparent, but just as beautiful as I remember from the previous day. This gives me hope. This means that we can meet during the daytime. My heart flutters at the prospect of seeing him regularly.

"You came! And I can see you!" I gasp excitedly.

A wide grin forms across his inhumanly beautiful face.

"I wasn't sure if I would be able to meet you, but it appears that I'm able to do new things each time I encounter you. It's nice to know we can meet in the day, but I would never risk stepping out onto the open field during light hours. I know that so far you are the only one who can see me, but I don't want to risk scaring an innocent family." He chuckles to himself. "I could just jump out and say _BOO!_" He finds this entirely too amusing. It's nice to see that dying and becoming a ghost didn't erase his sense of humor.

"Sorry. It's just that I get bored here and the thought of something new to do thrilled me a little too much." He gives a lovely, throaty laugh throwing his head back.

It's so pleasing to see him at total ease and not sad or desperate. Every other time I've seen him, he's been so serious and somber. I like catching a glimpse of this side of him. It's refreshing.

"Hi," I say timidly looking up under my lashes. I don't think I'll ever get over being intimidated by both his beauty and his ghostliness.

"Did you sleep well?"

"No. I was a little too keyed up from everything that happened yesterday." I smile and blush. He notices this and continues.

"Ah. I key you up?"

"Yeah." I blush even deeper. I must look like an apple by now.

"I wish I could sleep. Just to get a respite from the world for a few hours would be a dream."

He smiles gently and sits cross-legged a couple of feet away.

"After today, I'm not sure when I'll be able to come down again. I have classes Monday through Thursday and with homework and my part-time job on campus, it really doesn't leave me much time. I wish I could give you a cell phone," I say chuckling. I really wish I could give a ghost a cell phone. It would make things so much easier.

He laughs and I ask, "Do you know what a cell phone is?"

"Yes, my dear, I do. I may have been born several lifetimes ago, but I do observe humanity. There's not much else to do here but people watch. I've seen the strangest fashions come and go, different styles of cars through the years and technology advance. I probably wouldn't know how to use a mobile phone or drive a car, but I do know what they are. Give me a little credit." He gives a sexy smirk and I temporarily go blank.

"Oh. I wasn't sure. I didn't mean to insult you or anything, but, uh, oh well." I'm sure he thinks I'm oh so eloquent per my wonderfully coherent responses. He can't help it that he's so devastatingly hot and renders me dumb. _Holy crap!_ How does he dazzle me like that? Does he have some special ghostly supernatural power that makes me stupid whenever he smiles?

"No. I understand. It's totally logical to think that. I did fight in the Civil War after all," he laughs again softly.

The tension starts to roll off my body and I move to sit in front of the stump with my back to it and relax into the wood tucking my knees under my chin. I could stay here all day. I fiddle a little with my shoes not sure what to say next. I finally just decide to dig in and ask all the questions I've been dying to inquire upon.

"What was it like, dying? I'm sure it was painful. What was it like becoming a ghost? Did you know you were one immediately?"

A wistful expression comes across his face.

"I took a shot to the chest and I wish I could say my death was instant, but unfortunately it lingered on a bit. I'll spare you the gory details, but I remember lying flat on my back looking down at my chest and saw the blood splatter all over my uniform. It was surreal. I couldn't believe this was it and that my time had come. I would never marry, never have children, never move on with my life... I heard her voice as clear as day. I heard her pronounce the hex that would doom me for eternity. I lay in shock and then finally everything went dark."

We look despondently at each other and I'm unable to speak so he continues on.

"The next thing I knew was that I stepped outside of my body and looked down upon myself. I thought I was going to Heaven or Hell. It was hellish enough to watch my brethren continue fighting as I lay lifeless on the grass. I ran around to other soldiers trying to make out if they could see me and if I could get some sort of reaction. Nothing. Nothing worked. I thought perhaps I was in purgatory, but her voice and the hex came back to my mind. A chill went through me as I thought I would be doomed to this forever."

He looks up the canopy sheltering us with a far away look and sighs.

"I soon realized that nothing else was happening to me so I waited for the battle to end. Then I went on to pace, roam, and grieve for my lost life. How could I do this for eternity? Just to be able to do… I don't know… anything. I tried walking into town, but quickly learned that I could not leave the areas of battle which you know as this park."

"I've seen spirits come and go and there are a few who remain here on these hallowed grounds. I don't know if they are stuck here the same way I am or if it is by choice. Some of them ignore people and some enjoy getting a rise out of park-goers. When you arrived with your friends that night, I wanted to get to you before any of the others could scare you off although I think I frightened you pretty good. For that, I apologize. Will you please forgive me?"

He's so sincere, I can't help but nod and mutter, "Of course you're forgiven. I don't think I could ever be mad at you." I peer up at him longingly and feel an ache in my chest. I just want to comfort this poor fellow.

"There is a lady, or shall I say ghost of a lady, wearing a flowing white dress that is searching for her husband and never finds solace. I hear her cry frequently. I believe she's been seen by those visiting the park. I speculate that her husband died in one of the battles here, and after she passed, she went on to search for him in her afterlife. I've attempted to approach her on countless occasions, but she just stares ahead crying out for her husband. I don't know if she's ignoring me or doesn't hear me." He lets out a small laugh.

"Then there is _Green Eyes_. I know you thought I was Green Eyes, but to my knowledge, you are the only one has actually seen me appear. The other one is the Green Eyes that the ghost stories and legends are based upon. Where I do not seek to harm or scare, he thrives on it. He's a bit sadistic. He seems to enjoy causing a stir."

He frowns and shakes his lovely head while I maintain to listen with rapt attention. He's totally captivated me and there's no going back. At the mention of this other Green Eyes a thrilling chill runs up my spine.

"Do you think he'd try to do anything to me?"

"I don't think so. I don't believe he's ever noticed you, but he's very unpredictable and spiteful. Since no other ghosts here have communicated with humans the way you and I do, there's no way to know if he would do that just to irk me. I know he's seen me, but we have never spoken or tried to approach one another. I prefer it to stay that way."

He looks dead serious, pun intended, as he gazes into my eyes. His expression is one of protectiveness or possibly possessiveness. I shiver at his sudden serious countenance. This is a first since I've mostly only seen him mildly amused, sad, or pensive thus far. This bordered on anger.

"Can he actually physically harm people or is it just scaring?"

I feel the blood rush out of my face and imagine that I look even paler than I normally do right now.

"No. I don't believe he can physically touch you, per se, but he can still cause bad things to happen. There have been car accidents from when he's decided to make an appearance. Thankfully, no one has been injured or worse, but it could always happen. He also caused a young man to panic and jump off Wilder Tower. Thankfully, he walked away with minor injuries."

If he could cry right now, he would.

"These things don't happen often and they are usually at night so please do not come out here by yourself in the dark. Please promise me that."

"Uh. Ok," is all I can say. I'm still trying to process everything he's told me and I have to admit, it does put my stomach in knots.

"What else would you like to ask? I'll answer any question I can."

"Can you tell me about Irene Marie? I know she was your betrothed from Knoxville, but what else about her? You called me 'Marie' in the note. How did you know it was my middle name?"

His expression softens.

"You look so much like her. It's almost like seeing twins. The first time I saw you I was transported back for a moment. It was a gut reaction. There you were in the cabin and you actually saw me! I felt a new sense of freedom and that my time was finally going to be finished in this God forsaken place."

He looks hopeful now and his hope is contagious.

"Now that I'm getting to know you and what I knew about her, I can see that the similarities end with your exterior. She was selfish and spiteful. Spoiled and temperamental. You seem to be such a gentle soul with a big heart. I'm sure you are questioning why I got engaged to her in the first place."

He looks down and slowly shakes his head ruefully.

"Well, perhaps I was infatuated and chose to overlook her flaws or was blinded by love that I didn't care. I thought love would soften her, but it just seemed to make her harsher. Once she knew she had my heart, she became domineering and tried to rule my life. I know now that is not love. She just wanted a puppet and someone to cater to her every whim. I feel sorry for the poor bloke she eventually married. I assume she got married anyway. She's not the type to stay single for long. She always reminded me that she had a long line of suitors who would be willing to take my place if I left. She turned out to be a not so nice person."

"Is that why you enlisted? To make her mad?"

"Heh heh heh. That's part of it. Call me shallow and petty, but I was tired of her bossiness and tyrannical ways and I knew her opinion of the war and those who joined and it seemed the perfect way to get a rise out of her. I needed her to know that I still had my freewill and she couldn't rule my life. For the longest time I thought I was paying the price for that spite, but now… I don't think that way."

As he says this he looks deeply in my eyes as if he can see straight through. I'm thrown for a moment by the intensity. I get lost in those beautiful peridot eyes for a few seconds, but it seems like hours. I'm amazed at how this creature I barely know elicits such reaction from me. I giggle nervously and feel compelled to break the silence.

"I'm going to ask my history professor, Carlisle Cullen, if he knows anything else about curses, how to break them and whatnot. I don't know if he can help, but it's always worth a shot. I have his class on Mondays and Wednesdays. He seemed interested in your story. You know? The ghost part and the history part."

"Carlisle Cullen? Hmmm. That name is familiar to me, but I don't know why."

"He mentioned doing a family tree and finding out that you were somehow related, but I don't know how he automatically deducted that you were the ghost I met. I'll have to ask about that. Now that I think about it, that is a bit weird. He also seems to think I'm a distant relative to Irene. I guess anything is possible at this point, but I don't think we have any relatives from Knoxville. I shudder to think that I'm related to someone so mean, but I guess every family has the bad apple."

I let out another small giggle.

"I know this may seem forward, but can I try to touch you?" I ask and blush nervously.

He looks thrown for a moment and then murmurs, "Sure. I don't mind."

I slowly rise up on me knees and lean closer. I'm nearing on him and I cautiously raise my left hand. My fingertips feel like they are going to burn from the anticipation. Further, I move my hand and reach for his right arm. My fingers move to stroke his sleeve, but they are met with nothing but air. I want to cry at this point. I'm becoming more and more attached to this man and I can't even touch him. This is just my luck to start falling for an unattainable guy. Disappointment is apparent on my face.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. That's just the first try. Maybe your professor will be able to help us with this? I refuse to believe this is the end of what we can do. Like I said before, I'm already able to do much more since first seeing you."

There is still a hint of sadness in his face, but I try to suck it up and offer a small smile.

"I'm not sure when I'll be out here next." My stomach lurches at the thought of not seeing him again soon. I have to see him again. I must.

"Please come when you can. We can always meet at this very spot. This will be our place," he declares with a radiant contagious smile.

It kills me to think of leaving, but I know I have to or Alice and my dad will send out a search party and the sky starts to darken slightly.

"I have to go," I mutter softly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, dear one." His voice is barely audible.

We both stand and stare longingly at each other. Neither of us wants to leave. I could stand here looking at him forever and from the expression on his face, he feels the same. Finally, I sigh, look down and turn to leave while giving him an apologetic look and small wave. He sadly waves back and watches as I saunter back to the open field.

I walk across the expanse to my SUV. I feel so empty. Even more empty than I did when I left him yesterday. Is this how it will always be? Will it just get harder and harder to leave each time? Should I stop visiting and spare myself the heartache? No. I can't and I know it. It's no use fighting.

On the way back up to campus tears rolls down my cheeks and I sob uncontrollably. I shouldn't have such a reaction to someone like this, undead, dead or alive. Why am I crying over someone I barely know? I don't cry over guys. That's not me. Gosh, I am going nuts.

I park and take a moment to calm myself. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Once I'm calmer, I grab some napkins from my glove box and wipe away the snot and tears and then check that I'm not too blotchy, at least not blotchy enough to where anyone will ask questions. That's the last thing I need. I have a feeling that even the smallest thing would set me off on a crying jag, especially if Alice tries to inquire why and comfort me. I do need to eventually tell her what's been going on. If anyone will understand, it's her. In this moment I feel so thankful to have someone like her in my life.

I walk into our room and she's lounging on her bed doing some homework. She's so deep in concentration that she doesn't even notice me walk in. Her head finally pops up and sees my crestfallen expression and I see the sympathy in her eyes.

"What's wrong girlie? What happened today? Tell Mama Ali all about it!"

I plop on her bed and collapse in her arms sobbing uncontrollably. Once I stop blubbering, I finally give her the whole down and dirty on this past weekend. She just rubs her hand up and down my back, rocks me and tells me that we're in this together and she will do whatever within her power to help. I love her. She is an awesome bestie.

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**Reviews=love!! Review and tell me what a sweet friend Alice is! How do you think the curse can be broken? Also, there really have been car accidents said to be caused by alarmed drivers who've claimed to see Green Eyes and in 1970 a guy in his early 20s jumped off the tower and was paralyzed. You can read more about this weird & enchanted place here: prairieghosts (dot) com/chick (dot) html**


	8. Appletinis

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Eight**

**(I don't own these folks. I just wish I did, but I at least own the plot and some great shoes.)**

_Finally 21, and legally able to do everything I've been doing since 15.__  
__-- Anonymous_

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My birthday was soon approaching and I couldn't care less. My birthday was never a big deal to me anyway since I never felt different on that day. The only birthdays that were cool were the milestones like turning sixteen and getting my driver's license or turning eighteen and finally being a legal adult who could vote or buy cigarettes. Not that I ever bought or touched cigs, but the idea of at least being of age to do that was the big deal. Oh yeah, I could also join the armed forces. That's another thing that would never happen. I would be clumsy enough to trip over a landmine and I'm sure my clumsiness would be epic enough to cause the US to lose a war for cause World War III. My weird train of thought made me giggle deliriously and I'm now getting weird stares from others in the campus library.

This birthday is a milestone since I'll be turning 21. I'm very adamant about laws (Cop's daughter, remember?) so I've never drunk anything alcoholic and don't even see myself being into that type of partying. Don't get me wrong, I love to go out with my friends, dance (well, what I at least call dancing), and socialize, but I'm always the designated driver or the one who cuts people off when they've clearly had way too much. I'm the responsible one so maybe this once I'll cut a little loose? Thankfully there are plenty of eighteen and up bars in the area since the campus is so close therefore Alice, Jasper, Ben and Angela who are all still twenty can join in the festivities. Rosalie and Emmett are already 21 and will be 22 before they graduate. It will also be nice to blow off some steam since I've been pretty stressed.

During the last week, I've been a little zombified. After my meltdown in Alice's arms that Sunday night I've just been coasting. I still go to classes and work dutifully. I still obediently carry out my responsibilities with the sorority and continue to make regular calls to my dad so he doesn't get worried and drive up to the school freaked out. My dad can be a little worrywart, but I can't really blame him given that I'm now his closest family. Regardless, I feel a bit empty. I haven't been able to see Edward at all over the last week and it's driving me insane. I just have this unexplainable yearning to go to him. It's almost like an addiction to where I can't help myself and start obsessing. I frequently find myself idly doodling his face in my notebooks. I even now only use pens with green ink.

That Monday after he and I saw each other, Dr. Cullen seemed to want to talk to me after class, but I just couldn't handle the thought of talking about _him _and I knew that's what he would want to chat about. I knew if I did, I would just burst into tears and sob uncontrollably. I'm sure that would ruin his day. He seemed a little distracted on Wednesday and appeared to want to talk again, but I was out of that classroom the moment time was up and I didn't waste any time skedaddling out of there. I was like a shot out of a cannon. I even left Jasper in the dust from my haste.

I'm pretty sure he knew what was up since he and Alice have absolutely no secrets. Their relationship has gotten quite intense rather rapidly, but not in the way to make me alarmed. It's not in a psycho-stalker way. Alice is an all or nothing girl and is never lukewarm about anything so it's not that shocking. She and Jasper are going to the aquarium this Sunday afternoon and then we are all getting together to go out tonight to celebrate my birth. It sort of sucks that my birthday falls on a Sunday so it will be slightly painful to make to class tomorrow, but I've had perfect attendance in all of them so far and there is no need to tarnish my wonderful streak of being present. I will tough it out. I just also hate missing classes unless I'm on my deathbed. I feel like I lose so much from just once absence.

Despite the excitement of being 21, my mood is sour because my birthday festivities have prevented me from seeing the one person I'm truly craving to see. _My Green Eyes._ I miss him so much! My eyes tingle with moisture just thinking about him and how lonely he must be. I hope he can sense how lonely I am without him. _Sigh._ I still can't believe I'm pining away for a ghost. Yes, I have truly lost it. Perhaps sometime this week I'll make an afternoon visit when I don't have to work? That perks up my mood a touch. At least there is hope I'll see him before long and that will give me what I need to get through the night.

I drum my pencil against my textbook and realize there is no hope for me getting any true studying done today so I pack it all up in my red Jansport and head back to the dorm and steel myself for the Alice-Barbie-Bella-Torture-Procedure that occurs right before big events that I'm required to partake in. It makes her happy so who am I to dampen her fun?

As I unlock our door, step in and see that it appears as if the Dillard's Clinique counter and shoe department threw up all over the place. It also seems that Express and Hollister have added a significant amount of "throw up" to the mixture. One should always be very afraid of a pixie with an American Express black card who knows your shoe and dress sizes. However, she definitely knows her stuff so I've never been afraid of her making me look silly although I've felt silly after her bouts of playing dress-up with me. She is the Yoda of style so I cannot doubt her. I am her young Padawan so I let her do as she pleases. Yes, don't doubt that she is not above using Jedi mind tricks to get her way.

She has me in a tight blue sheer lacy top with a matching camisole underneath, a pair of dark bootcut jeans and chunky black heels that elongate my legs. At five-foot-four, I'll take what height I can get. She looks amazing in a dark aquamarine vee-neck tank dress with silver strappy platform sandals.

The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur as she buffs, polishes and paints my skin and nails and then proceeds to dress me appropriately for a night out on the town. I do have to admit that I look pretty good and I'll take anything that lifts my doldrums right now. I just wish _he_ could see me looking so hot.

Alice's notices my sudden downshift in mood and asks what's wrong.

"What's up buttercup?"

"I'm just a bit blah. I'm pretty sure you have a good idea why." I blush and look down slightly embarrassed.

"Aw, girlie! We'll get you back to the park soon. Things have just been a little crazy for you lately with your birthday, school, work and so forth. Would you like Jazz and I to go with you the next time? We'd be happy to, ya know?"

"Nah. That's okay. I doubt you'd be able to see or hear him anyway and it would just feel a little awkward. I think I'm the only one who can see so you would just be bored to tears. Where are we going anyway? Are meeting up with everyone here or there?" I project a feeble smile hoping that she'll feel a little better.

"Rose, Em, Jazz, you and I are riding together and Ben and Ange will meet first at Lupi's for pizza and then head to Rhythm and Brews for the real fun!" She says this while excitedly clapping her hands together.

Although I love pizza, it does strike me as a little weird that I've had pretty much no input into what we're doing tonight. It is _my_ birthday after all. Oh well. I haven't been too amenable in the past when it comes to orchestrating my birthday celebrations so I can't blame Ali for taking charge. One day when I get married, she's totally planning it.

Rose calls and lets us know that they are just outside our building and waiting. We climb up into the back Emmett's huge red Jeep and head to Lupi's in the warm September air.

Emmett miraculously parallel parks his monstrosity, we feed the meter, and head inside where Ben and Ange have already gotten us a table.

"Happy birthday chickadee!" Angela croons standing with her arms out for a big hug.

"Aw! You shouldn't have," Emmett says while giving her his trademark bear hug

"Okay, you dork. It's not for you, but I know you'll use any excuse to grab me," she pronounces back sassily joking and rolls her eyes at Rose knowing she is used to the attention hungry Emmett antics.

Hugs and 'happy birthdays' are handed around as well finally settle into our chairs.

"Okay, you nerds, I'm hungry and it's my birthday so let's get a move on and order!"

We order three pizzas: a cheese, pepperoni, and supreme and Emmett orders a couple of pitchers of beer and immediately demands I take the first sip. Of course he doesn't do this before loudly proclaiming to the entire restaurant that it's my 21st birthday. Just shoot me now. The restaurant breaks out in thundering cheers and applause.

"Ugh! What's this crap? It tastes like pee, or what I'd image what pee would taste like. Blech. How do you drink this?" My face contorts pinched as if I've just eaten a lemon.

"Ah, Bells, don't diss the Sam Adams! I'm hurt." He puts his right hand over his heart and dramatically bends slightly as if he's in deep pain.

"This is way too much beer for three people, Emmett, and I can't even stand this stuff to even try another sip." I scrunch my face in a look of pain.

"Bella, I know you've seen Emmett plow through a pitcher before. Trust me, this is nothing. He could drink the entire thing and not even feel it," Rosalie chimes in as she takes her glass. "Let's try you out on something else since I don't think you'll ever be a beer lover."

She calls the waiter over and orders me an appletini. It finally arrives looking all pretty and green. The light green of the concoction reminds me of someone's eyes. I look down sadly and Alice instantly understands what has gotten to me and chirps up.

"Go ahead, Bella. Try it! You probably won't even taste the alcohol in it. It's great for first-timers."

I do have to admit it does look nice and fruity and I do love apples. I especially now love _green_ ones. _Sigh._ I tentatively lick some of the brown sugar on the rim and take my first sip. _Mmmm! _This isn't bad at all. After a couple of minutes I feel a little warm inside and chattier so I order another.

"Whoa, there, girl. You might want to pace yourself," Rosalie admonishes. "I don't want to have to carry your sorry self all over the place tonight." The table cracks up in hysterical laughter as the visual of Rose carrying me bridal style through the streets of downtown Chattanooga forms in everyone's brain.

"Okay, okay. Enough laughing at my expense. Are you guys ready to talk about something else?"

We chit-chat about nothing and everything and before we know it, almost all of the pizza is gone at this point thanks in most part to the guys in our entourage. Jasper hops behind Emmett's wheel since he's not drinking and doesn't want even the slightest chance that something bad might happen. Alice rides shotgun and I cozy up with Em and Rose in the back.

"Ooh, Bells. I'm going to have _sooo_ much fun with you tonight! I bet you have no tolerance and you will provide the entertainment for the evening. Forget the club; you should be the main event."

"I swear I want to smack you! Anyway, I'm not getting drunk. I have no desire to do that and regardless I have class tomorrow, right Jazz?"

"It could be fun to see you come in hung over tomorrow. Ha!" Jasper snickers.

"Not helping here, dude, not helping." I scowl at him and cross my arms over my chest.

"Come on, Bella-Bear, you only turn 21 once. Humor us a little."

"Okay. Fine. I'll have a couple of more drinks, but I'm not going crazy. I have no desire to pray to the porcelain god tomorrow morning."

Jasper glides us in a parking lot along Market Street and we all exit the vehicle. I step down from the steep edge of the Jeep and wobble a little with Rose stabilizing me by touching my elbow. I don't think anything of it because I'm not exactly the most coordinated of specimens.

As we walk in, the club is already in full force and has quite a crowd for a Sunday night. Of course Emmett can't resist yelling that it's my 21st birthday the moment we walk in. I'm greeted by hoots, hollers and offers by random guys to buy me drinks. I thank them and politely decline figuring I'll leave it to my friends to tend to my needs this evening and I don't want a guy to buy me a drink and give him the wrong impression. My idea of fun is not trying to repel some grabby horndog all night.

The 20-year olds order Cokes and Sprites, Rose and Emmett order bottles of Blue Moon and I order a cosmo at Rose's suggestion. _Mmm! Fruity!_ It's almost like drinking Kool-Aid. It's so pretty and dark pink. This ain't so bad. After slurping down our liquids we head to the where the band is playing and start dancing. For some unknown reason, I'm more emboldened with my dancing abilities. I'm not normally that into dancing, but maybe birthdays do make you feel different? Why am I feeling light-headed?

I take turns dancing with all the girls and boys in our group and my brain feels like it is swimming. _Ooh! This feels nice!_ I continue dancing, close my eyes and sway my head side to side. Alice and then Rose feel that it is a good idea to have met sit down a little. We perch up at a tall table and I start slurring. What? I don't slur? What's wrong with me?

"I want another appletini. They're _green_ and _so_ pretty just like his eyes! Please, Rosie, will you get me another one?" I bat my eyelashes at her.

She rolls her eyes, but warns, "Be careful or I might have to cut you off. I'm cutting you some slack because it's your birthday, but never walk off without one of us, not even to the restroom, okay?"

"Okay, but I just want my pretty green drink," I whine out petulantly jut my lower lip out.

My beautiful blonde friend comes back with the gorgeous green potion and I greedily snatch it out of her hands immediately slurping it up.

"Appleintis are green just like _his_ eyes. I wish he could be here." I coo out dreamily.

Rose shoots Alice a confused look and she just nods back as if to say, "Don't worry. I've got it and I understand this ridiculous rambling."

"I want to kiss a ghost. Doesn't that just suck? You can't kiss ghosts. I tried to touch him, but my hand went right through. Wwwhhhyyy am I falling for a ghost?" I start to wail pitifully. "Is this life's cruel joke? I date losers and when I finally find a cool guy, he's dead. Crap, crappy, crap."

"Don't worry, honey, things will work out," Alice croons as if she's consoling a mental patient. She's probably not that far off considering my state of mind.

"I'm going to always drink these because they look like him. I want to grab him! _Rawr!_ He's so hot, but he's dead! _Wahhhh!_" I clumsily drop my chin into my palm and close my eyes. I think I actually doze for a couple of seconds, but Rosalie softly elbows my side to bring me back.

"Okay, party girl. I think it's time to call it a night. Let's grab the others," Rosalie declares in her authoritative sorority president voice.

Ben and Angela decide to stay behind for a little while longer since they rode separate from us and don't have class until later tomorrow. They give big hugs and birthday wishes once again.

"I love you guys! You're the best buds ever!" When did I start talking in slow motion?

We wave bye on our way out the door as I get pitying glances from them and my Jeep friends.

"Uh. I've got class tomorrow. I don't wanna go. Jazz, take notes for me. Please!"

"No way mi amiga. It's going to be way too fun to watch you stumble in tomorrow morning." He throws his head back in unbridled laughter. "I'm not going to miss that for the world. I may have to bring my video camera."

"At least you won't be the one to clean up her puke like I have a feeling I'm going to have to do," Alice grunts while rolling her eyes.

Jasper pulls up to our building, kisses Alice and waves good-bye.

We amble into our dorm room with me hanging off her small shoulders, sagging.

"I'm putting you in the shower now because you smell like a bar and I doubt you'll be able to wake up early enough tomorrow to adequately bathe. There's no need for everyone in sniffing vicinity to know that you're hung over." Alice is in drill sergeant mode.

She washes my hair and I manage to wash my own body at least. I stumble into my pajamas and belly flop on the mattress. I don't remember passing out.

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"Ugh! Did I get run over by a freight train last night?"

"You make your bed and now you lie in Miss 21-Year Old. Here's a couple of Aleve and a glass of water. It will take the edge off. At least you didn't puke."

"Did you throw me in the shower last night? I have some vague recollection of you washing my hair." I crease my forehead in confusion.

"Yes, my dear, I did. You were pretty pathetic last night, but definitely entertaining. I wasn't going to have you go to class smelling like a bar regardless of Jazz wanting to see you in full hang over mode. I do have some standards and I'm not that bad of a friend." She snickers as she aptly applies her makeup for the day.

I slowly make it to the sink to brush my teeth, put on some moisturizer and comb my rat's nest hair. I think that will be the apex of my grooming for the day. I can't even fathom putting on makeup and dressing in anything other than shorts and a tee. Sunglasses are unquestionably a must for today.

I bid Alice adieu and throw my textbooks in my red backpack. _Ugh!_ It's so sunny outside. It hurts. I'm never drinking again. I don't care if the drinks are pretty and green. I feel like a vampire that's going to melt in the sunlight. Just kill me now.

I mosey miserably into my history class and Jazz just smirks knowingly at me. I bet he got here early just to watch the spectacle.

"Hush! I don't want to hear it." I glare straight ahead and push my sunglasses on top of my head as I sit down.

"Oh, come on! I have to. It was way too fun watching you last night. I can't remember the last time I saw something so compelling." He holds his hand over his mouth trying to hold in laughter.

I let out a grunt and pull out my book which feels like it weighs a hundred pounds and lay my head on my notebook. I'm jarred out of my almost snooze by the sound of Dr. Cullen's sexy voice. Man, his voice reminds me of _his_. I close my eyes and dream of my green guy. Jasper stealthily kicks my chair and I'm brought out of my reverie.

All throughout class, Dr. Cullen seems to keep looking at me pleading and trying to communicate something with his eyes. Am I imagining this? Is this a by-product of a hang over? I already know I'm on the train to Loonyville. I keep my head down and scribble notes on his lecture in green pen as the hour and a half draws to a close. I quickly gather my things as Dr. C. strides to my desk before I have a chance to duck out on the sly. _Darn it!_ I knew I wasn't imaging things when I thought he wanted to talk last week.

I wave good-by to Jasper and look up to meet Dr. Cullen's gaze. He looks slightly amused.

"Did you have a little too much fun last night? Twenty-one is always a fun time."

"Huh? How did you know? Yeah, it was my 21st birthday yesterday and we went out. I guess it got a little out of hand." I can't quite wrap my head around how he knew it was my birthday. My head hurts too much to think too deeply right now. I groan and rub my temples.

"I've been meaning to talk to you…about your, um, park project."

I just stare up dumb, shocked and can only mutter out a weak, "What?" I'm instantly on edge.

"Do you have a moment? Why don't we go to my office?"

"Uh, okay." I nod mechanically and get up as if in a daze. I would probably do anything this hot prof asked me to do. I think PhD stands for Piercingly Hot Dude. I'm sure he thinks I'm mentally challenged as this point.

We enter the office and I notice all the familiar pictures from last time, but also spot an ultrasound printout that looks like two babies.

"Ooh! Are you having twins? Do you know what they are?"

"Yes. We've been quiet about it since my wife had a couple of miscarriages after Tanya, but now we're 21 weeks along and everything is looking great. They're identical girls." He's glowing at his proclamation.

"Any names picked out?" I'm trying to stall from talking about_ him_.

"Katrina and Irina. They're old family names from my wife's side of things. Her family originally emigrated from Russia a century ago. Tan's excited about getting two little sisters. I hope she just realizes they aren't baby dolls she can play dress up with."

His smile is so pretty. I really need to snap out of it before he notices my blatant ogling.

"Anyway, that's not why I asked you up here," he says with a warm smile. "I wanted to ask about your ghost project at the park."

There's no beating around the bush with this guy.

"How did you know right off who Green Eyes is? It could be any random ghost story, but how did you automatically know it was Edward?"

He looks slightly thrown off by my question. He surely wasn't expecting that to come out of my mouth, but quickly composes himself. My hang over starts to dissipate a little and I gain more clarity.

"Yes. That, but first I want to know if you've been to the park since that one night. Have you had any more encounters?"

"Uh, yeah…" I retell of the note-passing and our Sunday afternoon in the woods as he listens attentively. "Why am I getting so attached to a ghost?" I whisper almost silently and my stomach knots up.

A look of extreme compassion breaks across his face. It's not the sort of look that one gives when they are trying to be kind or sympathetic, but it's something more, way more. It's like he's been where I am at and feels my pain.

He solemnly gazes down and mutters, "Yes. I can relate to a degree and probably more than most. You're going to think I'm crazy, but I need to tell you my story. Do you have anywhere you need to be soon?"

I shake my head 'no' and am totally mesmerized. I wait for him to continue with my eyes wide.

He proceeds to tell of his roots in Dalton where he was a pastor and that he had a wife and son who died in a house fire. I'm intrigued and surprised since I couldn't imagine him at a pulpit as he is lust-inducing, but also saddened for his loss. I can't comprehend going through such trauma. Then he drops the bomb. _He_ fought in the Civil War. My head starts to spin as he continues telling me of fighting and _dying_ at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. I think I'm about to pass out at this juncture. I must still be drunk. Even though he surely notices my eyes glaze over in shock, he talks about being brought back, his visions, his mission, meeting his wife and the various universities he's taught in. He also tells of being told to teach here because of _me_.

I gasp and feel light headed. I'm not sure how to take this. It's all too much. He had a vision when I was born? He started to age again at my birth? I'm not that important. Why me? It doesn't make a speck of sense. I'm a meager little girl. I can't break curses or bring the dead back to life. This has got to be a terrible mistake, but there are way too many coincidences. Dr. Cullen has rendered me speechless.

As if all of what he's told me isn't enough of a shock, he says that his humanity depends on bringing Edward back. I'm a mere 21-year old girl. How can I have such a burden already on my shoulders? I thought waking up with a nasty hang over was bad. It's nothing now.

"When does it need to be broken? How long do you have?" I croak out on the verge of crying.

"The new year. January first."

"What can we do? Any idea of where to start? Have you had any new visions?"

"I had one last week and I tried to approach you after class, but you always ran out like a bat out of hell. I wasn't given much information, but the vision said to go to the caves in Valley Head, Alabama. We must procure a wild green crystal at midnight by hand and the crystal must be at least five inches in diameter obtained from below the looking glass pools. It's forbidden to mine in those caves so we'll have to be stealthy since it will have to be done right at midnight." He then recites a poem:

_The Valley Head must be sought_

_The chief's cavern wrought_

_From beneath the looking glass_

_Find a crystal green_

_Too set the captive free_

_This must come to pass_

_

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**AN: I know Rhythm and Brews is actually a 21+ bar, but for the purposes of this story, it's 18+. Lupi's is a real place with AMAZING pizza. **** Also, Alice and Bella's birthday outfits are from Express, so you can go to that site and see an example of what they wore. Don't forget to visit the LoGE forum on Twilighted (link on my profile). Next time we're going to get into the meat of figuring out how to help Mr Green Eyes. Who's up for spelunking?**


	9. Ow! My Head Hurts!

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Nine**

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**I know I promised spelunking in this chapter, but it will come next time. Honest!**

**I normally don't post lyrics with my story, but I couldn't help myself.**

_I've got the worst hangover ever!  
I'm rollin' back and forth on the bed  
I'm worked so bad that I'm never gonna drink again_

_Won't someone just kill me  
Put me out of my misery!  
I'm makin' deals with God  
I'll do anything!_

_Make it stop please_

_**The Offspring—"The Worst Hangover Ever"**_

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I head to my next class in a daze. I couldn't believe all the stuff my professor just unloaded on me. Now I have _two_ people to help out, and not just help out, but help them _live_ in the literal sense with no time to waste. He said we could get a small group together to cave in the Sequoya Caverns. He said the smaller the better since we'll be doing this at night and hopefully undetected by the cavern staff. It's illegal to take any part of the cave away with us and we'll be risking a lot trying to break in and steal some green quartz. _Great!_ Now not only am I going to try to save two people, I have to engage in felonious activity to do it. I doubt dad would be pleased to pick his daughter up from jail for breaking and entering. _Ah, how wonderful._

Dr Cullen said that he would check into the equipment we need since I told him I know zip about caving. He said he's going to call around local outdoor stores and clubs and see if we can rent the stuff. He said he would pay for it since he feels it is part of his responsibility since he's also getting something very large out of it.

I had gone to the Caverns when I was in elementary school and we did the standard school tour/field trip thing so I originally thought it wouldn't be a big deal, but he informed me that we have to go much deeper in where they don't allow the general public to explore to find what we need. I have a feeling we will need something more than a flashlight and pick axe to get the job done.

_Stupid curses suck! Stupid curses suck!_

Sequoya Caverns is located in Valley Head, Alabama which about 45 miles from Chattanooga and usually caters to campers, students on field trips, and holds seasonal events like Civil War re-enactments. Jasper would love that. _Ooohh!_ I bet he and Alice would be a good part of our caving team. She's small and can probably fit in tight spaces, I think amused. Also, the girl definitely loves her some jewelry so maybe she can take a little memento home and make a ring or something out of it? It will be easier to catch them up on everything since they already know my predicament and _still_ don't think I'm insane. I'm not going to bother dragging Emmett or Rose along for this even though they know of my initial encounter with my mystery guy. I haven't kept them abreast of my subsequent meetings and the crap about curses. This is a recon mission and Emmett can't keep his mouth shut to save his life. I love the guy, but with him, it's a need to know basis.

As I grumble selfishly, I try to collect myself and force patience. Carlisle was given a second chance at life after being robbed of it due to war and I believe he was granted that reprieve because he really is an upstanding guy. After hearing his story, I couldn't help but be amazed at his selflessness. I know he feels bad about dragging Esme and their kids in his possible non-life, but he deserves final happiness. His kids deserve to know their father and grow up under his paternal guidance. If anyone deserves life, it's him and I just need to get over it.

I text Alice and Jasper and ask if they would like to grab some lunch and I said I really didn't care where we went as long it wasn't a loud place. Thankfully, it's now that time in between lunch and supper when restaurants are in a lull.

They text back quickly and suggest Cancun on Broad. I kindly beseech them to pick me up because I just don't feel like driving. My head is blaring again like a siren during a high speed chase. I'm definitely never having more than one drink per outing with friends from now on. I'm sure my hunger isn't helping things.

The dynamic duo shows up to our building in Alice's adorable late model yellow VW Beetle and I cram myself in the back.

"Jasper, do you even have a car? I only now noticed that we've never taken yours and you've never mentioned one," I observe wishing that we could have taken bigger vehicle. I'm small, but, _dang_, the backseat here is non-existent and my knees are folded up to my chin.

"Yeah, I have a truck, but it's an old Ford beater that's all rusty and stuff. Alice refuses to be seen in it," he laughs wryly.

That definitely seems like Alice to me and I smirk.

"My parents said they'll get me something nicer for college graduation. They are convinced that anyone in college or under 25 is doomed to be a crappy driver and vowed to buy me the ugliest truck known to man when I turned sixteen. So for now I'm stuck with Bertha. They said it would make me appreciate things more," he relays with a wistful sigh.

From the sound of it, he wins the contest of crappiest car out of my friends. Emmett has his mega Jeep, Rose her bright red Mustang GT convertible, Alice her Beetle and me with my Tahoe. Angela and Ben both drive newer model Honda Civics.

Alice swoops in the parking lot nearly giving me whiplash. She drives like she's competing in the Indy 500. _Ugh!_ This is not helping my headache. We finally pull in a space and I have a chance to let my head settle and get my equilibrium back before getting out.

"So what do we owe the pleasure to, my Bell?" Alice chirps as we get seated and the gratis chips and salsa arrive. "I'm guessing this is more than just a craving for Mexican by the distracted and worried look on your face."

"Yep. It's the same old, same old if you catch my drift."

"Ah! Your pretty ghostman!" Alice squeals and claps her hands together. "When are you going to see him again?"

"I'm not sure, but I really want to see him soon. I know it's only been about a week or so, but, dang it, I miss him. I bet he's lonely." I look down and scoop a chip in the bowl of salsa as my eyes slightly water.

The waiter then arrives and we order three sweet teas. As he leaves, we sit in an anticipatory silence with me resting my chin on my palm, gazing down and studying the wood grain on the table. I know they are waiting for me to get to the point.

"Look guys. I met with Dr Cullen after class and I need to help him with something and didn't know if you guys might want in. Think of it as a little adventure, but an adventure that can help save two lives." I try to be cheerful.

"Emmett would love that!" Jasper exclaims.

"No! He can't be involved this time. I asked you two since you are both up to date with all the dirty deets and he's not known for his verbal filter. I know you two are a bit more discrete." I let out a huff of air and look up at the ceiling. "And, Ali, you're my best friend and I really can't imagine doing something like this without you. And Jazz, you've become a really good friend and I like having the two of you around." I flash a hopeful smile. I can't believe I'm already getting so emotional and worked up like this. I haven't even gotten down to the nitty gritty of this escapade.

I pause my story as the waiter takes our orders and turns away.

"We have to retrieve a special type of green quartz from Sequoya Caverns. Apparently it's not quite as easy and shuffling through with the school kids and sneaking some out. We have to go at midnight thus essentially breaking and entering the caves. We also have to go pretty deep within so Dr Cullen is checking about renting equipment. He said he'd cover the cost because he's got a lot riding on this." I retell the story of Carlisle and his visions and how I played into them. "So basically, I've got to help two people get their lives back. Er, help one of them keep his life. Who knows if he'll get another vision? And who knows if we'll have to go find something else?"

"Wooowww!" Jasper drawls out in a long, exaggerated manner. "I had no idea he had something to do with this. And even weirder is that he was basically getting visions about you. That's a bit cool and creepy at the same time. I won't be able to look at him as my normal prof anymore. He's now this sort of weird semi-ghost type dude."

As our food arrives, I dig into my cheese enchilada pensively. I stare at it as it's the most fascinating thing in the world. We're all in a weird, but not awkward quiet. Everyone seems to be chewing, literally and figuratively, on our conundrum.

Alice, ever the ray of sunshine and cheerfulness, pipes up. "Well, I'm in. What say you, Jazz? It'll be more fun with you around."

"Okay, count me in as well," he sighs resigned. "It will be really fun and I guess I'm sort of intrigued in a train wreck type of way," he chuckles. "Let's give this mutha the green light." He then launches into his version of Judas Priest's "Breaking the Law" and we burst out in giggles.

After eating, they dump me off at my dorm and I email Dr Cullen and let him know that Jasper and my friend Alice will help us out. I could call him, but I just don't feel like getting in a conversation. I'm also not one of those people who enjoy talking on the phone. Some people just get way too chatty and I don't know if he's one of those. Lord knows that my mom was one of those. You couldn't get her to end a phone convo to save her life. I usually would eventually have to be a bit abrupt to get off the line. A smile spreads across my face as I go over some of my mom memories. Man, I miss her.

I really don't have much in the way of homework today and my class tomorrow is a later morning one so I spontaneously decide to visit my Green Eyes. My heart starts pounding heavily in my chest in anticipation. _Whee!_ I can't believe how excited I am at the prospect of seeing him. It's been too long. Maybe I can touch him this time? _Mmmm…_ my mind starts to wonder as I hop in the Tahoe. I start up the engine, turn up the radio and gleefully bounce in my seat. What I wouldn't give to kiss him… to hold him. I also can't wait to tell him what's going on with the cave and so forth.

I pull into my usual space at Snodgrass Hill and lock up. It's sort of weird that I now have a 'usual' parking spot here. If you would have asked me two months ago if I would be visiting here so much, I would tell you that you are on crack.

I trudge up the grassy hill and step into the trees. I try to remember exactly where we met up last time and search out the stump I perched upon. After some trial and error, I finally find it and wait hopefully. I fidget with a nervous excitement with the hem of my tee shirt and scan the area. I don't want to be too disappointed if he doesn't show. I'm cautiously optimistic. I'll give it thirty minutes and after that I'll head back. After ten minutes of this, I break out my phone and play Tetris. Nothing can vacuum up my time like that game. It's so simple, but so addicting.

As I'm about to clear another line of blocks, I hear the most beautiful sound in the world.

"Bella, my dear, I've missed you."

My head snaps up in an instant and I look into those beautiful light green eyes.

"You're here!" I yell and jump up from the stump. I'm actually bouncing on the balls of my feet. I don't bounce. My instinct is to run to him and grab around his waist, but I'm afraid that I'll be met with nothing but air so I restrain myself and let him make his way over.

As handsome as ever, he strides forward in his uniform. I swear he gets more beautiful every time I see him. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. My Cheshire grin is splitting my face. He doesn't make a sound as he marches over.

"How have you been? I've missed you so much! I wish I could have gotten here earlier. Things were crazy with school and I just had my birthday yesterday."

"Well then, happy birthday beautiful," he greets with a sexy smile. I think my bones just turned into mush a little. "Twenty-one, right?"

"Yeah. I'm now officially an older woman." I smirk over at him batting my lashes. "Just call me Cougar! Roarrrr!!" I make a paw clawing motion.

"Cougar?"

"Oh never mind. It's a slang term for an older woman going for a much younger guy. Like Demi and Ashton. Forget it. Silly joke. Sorry." I blush a little bit. He's not going to know who Demi and Ashton are and I internally smack my head.

"They are two famous actors and she's this hot late forty-something and he's in his late twenties or something like that. Aw. Forget it." Blushing ensues. "Forget large wild cats! I've missed you so much!"

"I was wondering when you would come back. I've been a bit lonely," he says that slightly suggestively and then offers a wink that makes my heart speed up. I really like this side of him. Actually, I'd like a side of him on a platter. I would give anything to touch those lips. _Geez!_ I need to stop this before I totally get hot and bothered. It's been way too long since I've had romantic attention from a hot guy.

"I've been lonely too. I do have some news to share though. I met with that professor today and he got another vision. We've got to partake in some felonious activity to help the both of you. You better be worth it." I offer him a slow wink with a half smile. I think I need to stop this innuendo before it gets out of hand. I really don't want to have the ghost version of phone sex out here in the woods.

I tell him all about the caves, quartz, and breaking and entering. He is amused at the criminal aspect of me. I also recount my birthday outing and blush when I refer to drinking appletinis.

He quirks a dark red eyebrow and asks why I blush at the talk of the drink. I embarrassing launch into the tale of how my slurring and blubbering drunk self told my friends that they are the same color of his eyes. Thankfully, he's gentle and laughs softly and lets it go. Thank you, God, for small miracles.

We chat some more on mundane stuff and I ask him about his family and interests before he died.

He proceeds to tell me that he came from a comfortably middle class family and was an only child of Edward Sr. and Elizabeth. His father was a lawyer and his mom, like most women of that time, was a homemaker. He says things were pretty happy and uneventful before the war and before he met Irene.

"I know I made her out to be a complete villain, but she wasn't like that in the beginning. She was sweet and kind, but there was a hint of an edge to it. I should have caught on, but like most of the men in the area, we were taken in by her outer beauty and she knew how to work people. She could be very charming when she wanted to be. It seems that once we were engaged and she felt she gotten her hooks in, she changed to the surly person that I came to dislike. She knew she was beautiful and she knew how to work it to her advantage."

"I'm not like that! I promise." I felt like I had to add that in since he said I look just like her, not to mention having the same middle name. I just want him to realize that is where the similarities end.

Laughing, he breaks in, "I know. I know. I wasn't trying to infer that you were. I've become a keener judge of character and I trust you aren't like that." He throws his head back and continues laughing. He must think I'm a nutjob.

"You're a gentle soul. A beautiful soul. Your kindness emanates in your eyes. You are caring by nature. You value people. You love those close to you. I guess I can't really explain it, but I can just read it on you. Through the years I've become a good reader of people. You are selfless."

He then breaks up the serious atmosphere by adding, "You have to be selfless to be willing to break and enter. You're willing to risk time in the pokey for your professor and me. How do you get more selfless than that?" He continues chuckling.

Just kill me now. I want to marry this man. Pronto!

I tentatively look down and tell him about losing my mother a few years ago. I tell him how it made me appreciate those in my life much more and to not take anything for granted. Wetness threatens to claim my eyes and I hold back a sniffle. I look up into those beautiful eyes and confess.

"I know we haven't known each other very long, but I know I want you in my life. I want you to be normal in my life… to have human experiences again… to live again. I want to dance with you when I go out and have too much to drink and make a fool of myself." I titter once more. "I want to take you to concerts of my favorite bands and show you my favorite movies. I'll include some Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher movies of course." I can't help but add that quip. "I only want you to have everything you gave up that day in battle. It's not fair. You deserve that. Happiness should be… will be yours." I say this will all the conviction I can muster. I have to believe this will all work out in the end.

We talk a little longer about his life and chat about my childhood, comparing growing up in vastly different times and chat about how different it is for women now. He's still quite traditional when it comes to gender roles, but not chauvinistic. He's a product of his time though he's modernized in his thought through the years. We also talk of mundane things like favorite colors and food. Red and Italian for me and blue and fried chicken for him. We fall into laughter discussing our first kisses. His was a classmate named Clara when he was thirteen which was a quick peck and mine was at twelve with guy named Chris. I remember being grossed out by his tongue. I can tell he wants to ask a little more, but is too much of a gentleman to inquire upon my physical experience with guys.

"I can tell you want to know, erm, a bit more about my experience with guys," I mumble out barely. "Since you're too much of a gentleman to come out and ask it, I'll spare you." I look up nervously and tell him that I want to wait until I'm married. "I know it's not normal in this day and age, but why give something like that of yourself to someone who may not appreciate it or may walk away right after? At least if they walk away while married, you have legal recourse," I laugh goofily. "I've waited this long, what's a little longer? So many girls use sex to get love whereas most boys love to get sex."

"I understand. I'm with you. In my day, it was the norm to wait so I don't think you're odd or strange for waiting. I respect you even more for it. I've never been, uh, intimate with a woman. I can't believe I'm having this conversation with a lady. I guess people are more open about these things nowadays. If I ever get out of this limbo, I want to wait." He says this solemnly while looking deep in my eyes. An excited shiver rolls down my back.

I find him endless interesting and can listen to him talk for hours and hours. I don't think I can get sick of him. I want all of him, all the time. I've never felt this connection to anyone, especially not right off the bat like this. I won't say I love him yet, but I could easily fall. It would be effortless. It would be easy as breathing. I only hope it is the same for him. I don't want him to be with me because I'm the only person he can talk to and if he gets to be human, I don't want him to be with me because he feels he owes me something. I want him to be mine because he wants to be. My insecurities start flooding in, but I distract myself the best way I know how. It's also starting to get dark and I really don't like being out here late.

"I need to leave soon. I'm not comfortable being out here in the dark."

"Yes, it's not like I can defend you from an attacker in my present state," he sighs ruefully.

"Can we try something again?"

"Sure. What?"

"I want to hug you." Heat flares up my cheeks.

"That would be nice, but I don't want us to be heartbroken if it doesn't work." He's obviously remembering our last visit when I reached out for him.

"I'm being cautiously optimistic!" I offer with a cheesy smile.

He then holds his arms out in invitation and my heart breaks a little more for if this doesn't work. I want to hold him everyday. Something stirs in my heart at the sight of his outstretched arms.

I step slowly toward him. I tentatively reach my arms out to grab him about the waist, preparing myself. I feel him! I feel his arms around me! I feel my cheek against his chest, the wool of his uniform, his strong hands around my shoulders, his chin resting on my head! We take a moment and breathe each other in. It's glorious. And then… _poof!_ It's gone and my arms automatically grab around my own torso. When I look up, he's nowhere to be seen. I call for him, but get no response. Where is he? What happened? What cruel fate would let us have a moment like that and then take it away after a minute?

I sob uncontrollably, still yelling out for him. After fifteen minutes of this, I realize it's no use. I have to get that stinking green quartz. He _will_ be real again. I'm determined. It's my mission.

On my way to campus, I filled Alice in and she squealed in excitement at our hug, but consoled me about his disappearance. She's just as determined as I am, even more than before. But what happened to him? Where did he go? Will I ever see him again?

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**We go caving next! Any theories on where he went/what happened to him? **

**I also want to thank the gals on Twilighted: CatMasters, Hev99, Lorilei, and SiriusYellowLab. Additional thanks to CM & Hev for putting up with my whining.**

**Recs for this time are Empty by Hev99 (I Beta this one), Darkest Before the Dawn by CatMasters and in honor of cougars, The Cocky and The Cougar by ikss (all can be found on Fanfiction dot net).**

**Reviews are better than grabbing Ghostward! Okay, not really, but please read and review. **** I apologize for not responding to all reviews. I try my best, but I can be bad about that sort of thing.**


	10. Spelunk,kerplunk

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Ten**

****I don't own a thing, dang it. These characters belong to Mrs. Meyer.** (I sometimes forget to post the disclaimer)  
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**Forgive me because I may be taking a few liberties in regards to Sequoyah Caverns. It's been eons since I've been there and I know you can mine your own quartz, but for the purposes here, it's forbidden. I also apologize for not putting the H on the end of the name in the previous chaps. Oops!**

**I normally don't post lyrics with my story (yeah, I know this is the second time I'm doing it), but I couldn't help myself because I love this song and Jane's Addiction. I imagine the crew jamming out to this on the way back home to Chattanooga.**

_I've been caught stealing;  
once when I was 5...  
I enjoy stealing.  
It's just as simple as that.  
Well, it's just a simple fact.  
When I want something, and  
I don't want to pay for it._

_I walk right through the door.  
Walk right through the door.  
Hey all right! If I get by, it's mine.  
Mine all mine!_

**_Jane's Addiction—"Been Caught Stealing"_**

Dr. Cullen had procured our spelunking equipment and we scheduled to go caving on a Saturday night. Friday didn't work due to classes and jobs and Saturday was perfect because if we took a little longer than expected, Sunday was normally a slow day for the caverns. We could probably duck out of there relatively unseen. The four of us (Dr. Cullen, Alice, Jasper and me) met informally the Wednesday before to go over the general plan. We didn't want to be in the caves longer than necessary and hoped to be a well-oiled theft machine by the time we had to do the deed.

It was rather humorous when Alice first laid eyes on Dr. Cullen. I swear she was going to spontaneously combust. _Hee!_ She had heard about his hotness, but never beheld it firsthand. I just had to smirk when her jaw unhinged and drool nearly escaped from her mouth. Yes, Ph.D. stands for Piercingly Hot Dude. I can't blame her since that was my first reaction to seeing the intelligent Banana Republic model look-alike firsthand. Smarts plus hotness equals lethal. I can't imagine how his wife Esme ever lets him out of the house. She's a lucky lady indeed. Ah, enough of my internal drooling and Alice's quite literal drooling. Jasper takes it in stride, being the cool laid back guy he is. Heck, he could be in his own Banana Republic ad. The two of them in the same room should be illegal. Ah, Alice is a lucky lady as well.

We meet up outside Dr. Cullen's home at 10 p.m. on Saturday; he prefers that we try to keep our ordeal out of the eyes of the school so we didn't meet on campus. He lives in a beautiful white colonial with a wraparound porch just north of town and we briefly meet his very pregnant wife, but not his daughter Tanya since she's safely tucked in bed at this hour. I do have to say that Esme is even more stunning in person and so sweet to boot. It seems not fair to have looks and personality. Oh well. Dr C. deserves the best and she's a sweetheart. After exchanging greetings and laughing about our expedition, she says she plans on retiring to bed herself. I imagine it's not easy being pregnant with twins. She informs that her first pregnancy was relatively smooth, but that this one is draining the energy out of her and she swears she's getting her tubes tied immediately after giving birth.

We congregate at Dr. Cullen's black Range Rover in his three-car garage and double check that we have all the equipment we need on our expedition. Alice bought us all pairs of rain boots and dry-weave socks earlier this week so we're already outfitted for warm toes for the damp cave. Additionally, we're all dressed in warm layers of fleece, flannel and sturdy denim. Alice selflessly gave up her fashion sensibility due to the cold, damp environment in which we will lurk. I snap a picture of her with my cell phone to commemorate the 'flying pigs' moment.

"Enjoy it now Miss Swan because it will never happen again," she snorts as she rolls her big brown eyes.

The doc rented hardhats with lamps, knee-pads, ropes, slings, bolts, climbing harnesses and hand-held radios. I'm amazed at how much paraphernalia this quest requires. I hope he didn't have to spend too much money on this stuff. I'm starting to feel a little guilty. Jasper and Carlisle load the bags, including a first-aid kit, in the back of the SUV and we pile in and buckle up. What we're about to do finally starts to sink in and my breathing speeds up.

It's a nice cool night as we drive on Highway 27 and merge onto I-24, but my nerves don't mimic the peaceful atmosphere. There is so much riding on our mission tonight. What if we can't find what we need? What if we can't extract the quartz? What if one of us gets hurt? What if we get caught? What if… what if…

"Bells, what's up? You seem on the verge of a panic attack," Alice asks beside me in the backseat.

I didn't want to sit up front with Dr. Cullen and let Alice and Jasper sit together in the back. It would feel too double date-ish and that would just feel wrong and tempt my mind to go to wrong places. I made the excuse that I wanted to chat with Alice on the way and since our legs are shorter, the backseat make more sense for us.

I stare down at the dark gray leather upholstery and pick at the piped trim.

"I was thinking about how much depends on tonight and all these 'what-ifs' that won't stop circling in my brain. What if tonight is a major fail?" I also express the other what if scenarios that run in my head.

"You're going to give yourself a heart attack if you don't stop. Just take a moment and breathe. Let's not worry until we have something to worry about. You're such a worrywart. I need to break you of that." Alice then nudges her elbow into my side to break me out of my tense reverie.

"I know. I know." I stare out the window and focus on the lines on the road and the hum of the truck in an attempt to calm.

Jasper and Dr. Cullen chatter to each other from the front with Alice piping in and I pretty much stay into my own little world in the back right corner. Jasper and the professor talk of possibly joining a Civil War reenactment group and Jasper jokes that he can actually show 'em how it's done since he was there firsthand. Alice asks if she can don a pretty hoop-skirt dress and bat her eyelashes from the sidelines. Jasper informs her that she can do that after the battle with an evil smirk. She mumbles something to me about how hot he'll look in a uniform. _Tell me about it._ I've seen my hot Green Eyes in all his uniformed glory and if possible, he's going to keep that outfit handy after we get him in our world. _Rawr!_

We merge onto I-59 and I tense again. This is the last interstate change before we get to our destination. I ponder on what we have to do after this. Do we have to find something else? Will Dr. Cullen get a vision telling us what to do with the quartz? We're sort of flying blind and taking it one step at a time. I have a feeling, as does Dr. C., this isn't the only thing we will have to scavenge. I wish this whole process could hurry up and be over. Ah, such wishful thinking.

We see the signs for the Caverns and Carlisle makes the decision to park a few streets over from the main entrance. Parking right up front obviously is a red flag, and not to mention it would draw the attention of the overnight security guards. It will be a pain to lug all this crap, but it will be worth it none the less in the long run.

We reach the edge of the rear of the grounds and lob our bags of gear over the tall fence. The guys climb over the fence first and then Alice and I join with Jasper helping us down as we descend the chain-link barrier. Dr. Cullen has a map of the grounds and leads us to the mouth of the caves. I can't believe we are actually doing this. Dr. C. breaks out his compass and we get to business. I do have to say that he is one prepared man.

We tote our supplies at a brisk pace for about two miles before coming to the entrance of the cave. Jasper apparently did some research on the site and casually informs us that there may be bats in the caves. I let out a sharp gasp and he starts laughing. _What! I'm so glad someone decided to tell me this right as we're about to go in there. What about rabies?_ As we approach the mouth of the cave, I take in the rust-colored gate with a bat symbol adorning the front and center. How cute. Is Bruce Wayne here? I also eye the heavy padlock that we somehow will have to quietly remove and replace. I still can't believe the night security people haven't noticed us. Do they have security cameras?

"Does anyone know if they have security cameras in the cave or on the grounds?" I ask in a hushed whisper.

"No. No security cameras. I imagine that there isn't a need for them since most people don't break into caves in the middle of the night," Dr. Cullen responds with a smile in his voice. "I did a good bit of research once I found out we would need to come here. A week ago I brought Esme and Tanya for the public tour to get a sense of the surroundings and scope out any problems we would potentially have getting in. It was funny playing the innocent sight-seeing family when I knew that in a short while I would be breaking and entering. I also made sure to check out the type of padlock used on the gate. Unfortunately, we may have to break it, but I brought equipment that will hopefully pry it open without damaging the lock. We want to leave this place exactly how we found it. Does everyone understand how important that is?" His voice got very stern over those last two sentences.

My heart starts to pound like a hammer in my chest. I swear it's going to jump out as I watch Dr. Cullen and Jasper work pliers and other heavy-duty utensils on the lock. We've got to get in, but I don't want to enter. It's too late now, but that doesn't prevent me from a silent freak out. The cave staff only takes visitors about a half mile in for tours and that makes up around one-fourth of the total cave span. We have to go about three miles in before we can start hunting down the quartz. Dr. Cullen informs that we may have to go deeper and may have to repel down vertical shafts. _Ugh._ Did I mention that I have a mild fear of heights and a small bout of claustrophobia?

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_ _Thwack! Thwack!_ The lock is finally pounded open with minimal damage. That was so loud. I just know we are going to get caught. However, we should be able to click it back in place without obvious signs of a break-in. By the time anyone would notice something amiss with the lock, we'll be long gone from this place. Dr. Cullen pushes open the iron barred door with a loud creak. We march in single file with me bringing up the rear and the professor gently closes the gate without locking it. With his compass and cave schematic, we head into the cool fissures and my heart rate spikes as I take in my surroundings.

We all don our hardhats with lamps attached to the front and quietly walk in deeper. Everyone seems so focused and I assume it is because no one wants to distract the doc and accidentally get us lost in this underground maze. Even the normally chatty Alice is soundless during this leg of our trek.

The caves are so beautifully raw with the glinting russet stalagmites, stalactites and columns amongst the wild moist rock formations. If our mission wasn't so serious with time being of the essence, I would love to just wonder at the beautiful earth designs. The walls almost glow from the light off our headgear and the light fixtures attached to the walls. We pass the beautiful looking-glass ponds cordoned off by railings and now we finally reach the end of where the public is allowed.

"Now it's time for the main event my friends," Carlisle chuckles out. "Let's get this show on the road." We all giggle in response at not just his joking, but to release a bit of the thick tension.

We slowly trod in and the change in the air is immediate. It's much cooler, damper and darker in this solitary sector. The main part of the cave is lit with low-light fixtures scattered about, but now we're truly on our own. Thank God for the headlamps. Carlisle must have been a boy scout in his old life. As we continue, our fearless leader leaves 'crumbs' in the form of bright green Post-It notes so ensure that we don't get lost on our way back. At some points we have to duck down to our knees to get through and other times we have to all out crawl on all fours to navigate the passages. Hooray for gloves and knee-pads! I try to not let my mind wander to how far in we are because I know if I dwell on that, I'll have a breakdown. _You are not claustrophobic. You are not claustrophobic. _

After our meandering that seems to take forever, the walls are suddenly wide and open and there is a great chasm on the far wall. It's time to utilize our rope, bolts and harness.

The guys drill in the bolts that our rope will be anchored to and I'm slowly freaking again. Tethering down into an unknown abyss is not my idea of a good time. People get trapped and die while caving. Man, I'm insane. Everyone with me tonight is insane. _Breathe in, breathe out. Think calm, happy thoughts._ Oh my, the bolts, slings, and rope are secured. It's do or die time.

Carlisle offers to go first since he seems to be the one who actually knows what he's doing and secures himself in the harness. Jasper points the huge flashlight downward to get a better idea of what we will be diving into and we espy a handsome glittering green expanse of stones. This is what we have come to take! We're so close; I can't believe it.

"There it all is—what we've come this far to steal," says Carlisle. "Double check the rope, will ya Jasper? Okay, here goes nothing!"

We watch in awe as he descends slowly down the opening and lands atop the green sparkles. Jasper now takes his turn flying down, then Alice and then me.

"Wow! I can't believe this. This is amazing. It's so bright and dazzling. We should take some extra as a souvenir. Alice, you could have a nice ring or bracelet made."

"I like how you think woman," she responds as we ogle our surroundings with mouths agape.

There is definitely something magical about this place. It's an aura; something you just can't place your finger on. It's other-worldly. I can almost taste it.

Jasper pipes up, "Okay, girlies, let's get what we came to get." He pulls out a large pick axe and several smaller ones out of the heavy dark blue utility bag and we get to work.

"We need to get a chunk that is at least 5 inches in diameter. Don't forget that. The vision was specific in what it told and we don't need to take any risks with this," Carlisle reminds us. "Let's get this right the first time because I'm not coming back here. Be gentle so that you don't chip or break what you pry off. We need this stuff to be in as good as shape as possible. It's almost midnight. Let's get cracking."

Sounds of clinking and hammering rise around as we quietly work. This stuff is really stuck in here. Goodness! This is such a pain to dig out. I let out a few grunts before asking Alice for assistance.

"Hey, Ali, can you help me here a bit?"

"No prob chica."

"Errrr… ughhh… grrrr… oooh!" we groan together and we tag team the quartz. "Whoo! We've got some!"

There are more shouts of _hallelujah_, _hurrah_ and _yeah_ as we get the hang of it and mine up more green. I can't believe I'm actually getting sweaty despite how cold it is down here. Whew.

Carlisle calls us together to check out our quarry and seems satisfied.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand, ladies and gent," Carlisle exalts energetically. I can see the tension fall off of him as now he knows he will be that much closer to his dream.

I pull myself up to the opening first, then Carlisle and Jasper. Alice wanted to grab a little more quartz at the last minute and goes last. We're all relieved that this trek is almost over and we don't pay close attention to Alice's rope.

"Guys! The rope is breaking! It's unraveling! Help! I'm going to fall back down!" she screams and tears fall down her cheeks as her breathing speeds up. She's in near panic attack mode.

How on Earth is the rope breaking under the weight of the smallest person in our group? She plummets atop the green crystals with a thud, lying supine, and it knocks the wind out of her. Thankfully, the heavy burlap sack at her back cushions the fall a bit.

"Don't worry! We'll get you!" I yell back.

We're all starting to panic, especially Jasper.

"Don't worry sweetheart. We'll do whatever to get you up. I don't care what it takes."

He then asks, "Carlisle, where is the extra rope? I know we only have the one harness, but we can have her knot the end, stand on it, and pull her up that way."

We all start rifling through the bags retrieving anything that might help our rescue and I procure the sturdiest rope in our arsenal. Jasper ties a few knots towards the end winds it around a large boulder to prevent slipping adding knots to the opposite end. He tosses the rope down and it just barely reaches Alice.

"Ali, sweetheart, have you been lifting weights and eating your Wheaties? The three of us are going to hold and pull the rope, but we need you to grab and climb high enough to lock your feet over the first knot so you'll be more secure. Sling your bag across your back and keep the harness on. We can't leave anything behind. Okay?"

She warbles out a weak, "Okay" in response.

She rises to her tip toes, stretches her arm up and fingers as far as they will go. She can bat the end of the rope with her fingertips.

"Can you bring it any lower? I just need a little bit more and I think I can get a good hold on it."

We maneuver the rope around the boulder letting as much as we can out without losing our anchor and she grabs it! Even if she can't get her feet to the knot, we can have her hold on as tight as possible by her hands and pull. In an amazing act of adrenaline and strength, she hoists herself up and gets her feet atop the loop and we start yanking upward. She's almost completely out of the whole and we let out a collective huff of air. Once she's out we go crazy hugging her and in Jasper's case, kissing her with a passion that might set Alabama on fire.

Once we settle down, we check that all of our equipment is accounted for and we tuck what we don't need safely away in our rucksacks and begin retracing our steps courtesy of Carlisle's Post-Its, grabbing them as we go. I feel the collective 'ahhh' as we enter the lighted part and we know freedom is just around the corner. Right outside the mouth, at the gate, we double check our belongings and Carlisle closes the gate and fashions the lock back in place the best he can. It closes with a loud groan and we hear a deep male voice yell, "Who's out there?"

"Come on! Let's move it!" I whisper out and we run on pure adrenaline; we bee-line it to the chain-link fence and hurriedly toss our bags over. Carlisle lopes over first, then Alice (she refuses to go last now), me and lastly Jasper. As we high-tail it to the car, we continue to hear the security guard's voice calling out. With speed I didn't know we possessed, the bags get tossed in the back and we jump in our seats and buckle up.

"Oh my! I can't believe we just did that!" I blurt out in an excited heavy breath to no one in particular.

"That was the most insane, exciting, and dangerous thing I've ever done," Alice croons. "Let's never do anything like that again. As thrilling as it was, I have no desire to be stuck in a cave pit."

We're all flushed in excitement and we start to calm down as the adrenaline ebbs. Jasper and Alice are cuddled up on the backseat (he won't let her more than a foot away from him now) and I fling my head back and go limp against the front passenger seat. We stay quiet for a good twenty minutes before bringing up what to do with the stones.

"Dr. Cullen, do you want to keep hold of the largest chunks of stone?" I ask exhausted.

"Bella, I think you can call me Carlisle now," he laughs out. "Sure, yeah, I'll keep it in my house safe."

"I'll call you Carlisle, but not in class. That would be too weird for me."

"Bella, I really appreciate you and your friends doing this. I don't think I've stressed that enough. It really means the world to Esme and our family. You truly didn't have to do any of it. So, thanks again."

"Does this mean I get an A in your class?" I giggle.

"Don't push your luck Miss Swan," he retorts with a grin. "But at this point, you'd have to really work at it to get a bad grade."

It's after two in the morning when we get back to the dorm. Jasper asks if he can stay over and I tell him, 'sure' since I know there will no funny business from which I would have to shelter my ears from. I think he's now glued himself to her side. I guess near-death experiences will do that to you.

They curl up in a lump together and quickly fall asleep evidenced by their light snores, but my mind is wired, running a million miles a minute. I think about what we need to do next and if Carlisle will get another vision. We really don't know what to do with the quartz now that we have it. We have to wait and see and it drives me crazy. Patience is not one of my stronger suits. The area we got the quartz seemed to have an ethereal feel. Is it my imagination or is there magic there? I guess I have to believe in magic now that I've met a ghost and former ghost who wants to stay human. I can't wait to tell Edward that we actually got it and are that much closer to breaking the curse. My heart goes aflutter at this thought.

My lids grow heavy and I sigh. This has been the longest day of my life. I fall into a hard dreamless sleep.

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**AN: The caving outfits and such are linked on my profile. Also, join us on Twilighted (link also on profile). **

**  
My recommendation this week is _Stranger than Fiction_ by MasenVixen. Their story has one of the best Alices and a really cool Bella. Edward also falls out of a tree while spying! It's here on FFn.**

**Reviews=love. Can I make it to 100 reviews? What will the crew have to do next? What do you think Carlisle's next vision will be?  
**


	11. Clift Hanger

**Happy belated birthday to Chelle who writes **_**Darkest Before the Dawn**_**. This chapter is dedicated to you. She and Bob (Hev99) have cameos in this chappy.**

**FYI: All the locales in this story are real places you can visit & the cave gate at Sequoyah Caverns really does have a bat on the front. Hee! This is the last thing they will have to steal, hunt down, etc.  
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**Yay! I also made it to over 100 reviews!! Woo hoo! My story also got recommended on The Little Known Ficster: http://thelittleknownficster (dot) blogspot (dot) com Big shout out to Babette12 who recommended it. Ranchward rocks, my friend!  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters (they belong to Stephenie Meyer), but just the plot. Bummer. I don't see anyone wanting to steal this story, but stealing is only cool when you're stealing quartz out of caves or epaulettes from graves.**

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**Chapter Eleven**

**Clift Hanger**

_One of Hamilton County's first millionaires, Col. William Clift, is said by some still to roam the former Mount Bethel Church's cemetery more than a century after his 1886 burial at the Soddy-Daisy site._

_Accounts peg him as a patriot so passionate about preserving his country that, at age 69, he joined the Union Army, according to Ms. Kotarski. She said, "The legend is he maintained that zeal in death._

_"He (allegedly) comes out of his grave, with bugles and drums, anytime the nation is in trouble," she said. "As recently as five years ago, a mist was seen coming out of his grave."—Jan Galletta, Chattanooga Times-Free Press Oct. 11, 2006_

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I try to go about the next week as normal. I go to class, work, sorority functions and so on, but I feel like I'm on autopilot. Carlisle hasn't had any new visions that I know of because I keep hounding him after each class. _Arrggh!_ I hoped that he would get one soon after getting the quartz, but nada. As I sit here bored in the Student Activities office which is my part time job, I drum my green pen against the paper I just finished for my creative writing class. When things are pretty dead, Dean Bobkins doesn't care if we catch up on homework. I have two hours left. _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _Man, I'm bored and boredom usually means I do crazy things.

"I'm leaving," the other student in the office, Chelle, calls out. "See you tomorrow, Bells!" She's a sweetheart and we joke about each others' sorority dramas. She's a Phi Mu and I'm an ADPi, so we brattily swap girl drama stories. Lauren and Jessica usually star in many of mine. It's pretty funny. You would be amazed at what happens when girl egos clash. Ah, the politics of Greek life.

"Later woman," I respond and smile to myself. I'm pretty lucky that I like all my coworkers. Last semester an annoying senior, Bree, also worked in here. Thank goodness she graduated. I don't think I could have handled any more of her snooty attitude. I always wanted to tell her that I didn't care if she went to all of these great private schools growing up and owns ten Prada purses. We wound up at the same university in the end, so take that you snot! Alice and Rosalie come from old Nashville money and put her to shame, but they are too humble and sweet to act that way or flaunt their wealth. Why am I in such a rancid mood today? I must be PMSing. I feel like Simon Cowell with a toothache.

Two hours finally pass and I gather my things and head out into the cloudy day. It's finally getting a little chilly and truly feels like autumn. This campus is really beautiful even on such a gloomy afternoon. I take a moment to pause and drink in my surroundings. I don't do that enough. It's my version of stopping to smell the roses.

I button up my black jacket, throw my hands in the pockets and am then somehow automatically drawn in the direction of the parking lot that is the college home of my Tahoe. The way Edward disappeared from me that day keeps eating at my brain. I've been a little hesitant to go back to the park afraid of not seeing him. That would make it too real. But what if I can see him? What if that was just a fluke last time? I decide to bite the bullet.

I climb in, crank the engine and as if on cue "Hot for Teacher" blares out of my phone. I dig for my cell phone in my purse as David Lee Roth serenades me.

"Hey! Dr. Cullen, what's up?"

"Do you have a moment? We need to see each other as soon as possible."

"Sure. I just got off of work. Where do you want to meet?"

"Can you come by my office? Most of everyone has left for the day, so it's probably the best meeting place."

"Okay. On my way now," I say anxiously as I get back out of the car and heft my bag on my shoulder.

I bet he had another vision. That can be the only explanation he could have for asking to see me on such short notice. He also doesn't like to talk about his visions over the phone. I hope we get another puzzle piece to help put together this convoluted mystery. I'm just so ready for this to be done.

I walk into the mostly deserted History Department and tap lightly on Dr. Cullen's door.

"It's Bella," I say softly with my nerves on fire.

"Come in." He sounds frantic and out of breath.

He hurriedly ushers me in and closes his door. I swear this guy is going to have a heart attack before the month is out. I've never seen him like this. He's always Mr. Suave-Calm-Cool-Collected. I sit with my backpack on my lap. I hug it tensely as I'm about to jump out of my skin.

"I assume that you know the reason I called you here?"

"I think I have an inkling. You had a vision?" My eyes are frantic and wide anticipating.

"Yes. I did," he utters resigned with a soft sigh and his blue eyes cast downward while slumping back in his chair. "I was in the middle of preparing a test and my sight blacked out, my ears popped and it flashed."

He stares at the ceiling, closes his eyes and continues. "I guess I knew better than to think that the crystal would be the only thing we'd have to find. We've got to go on another scavenger hunt and if you thought caving was bad, wait until I tell you what's next."

Oh holy carp! I'm on the verge of tears at present and my hands tremble at his defeated tone. What could be worse than breaking into a cave in the middle of the night? Forget that. I don't want to know, oh _so_ how I do.

He takes a deep breath and continues. "There's no way to sugarcoat this so I might as well just spit it out. We have to go grave robbing." He registers the shock on my face and quickly amends, "No! Nothing like that! We don't have to steal a body or anything, but we do have to take something from a coffin. We have to go to the cemetery at the First Presbyterian Church in Soddy-Daisy and dig up the grave of Col. William Clift.

"Clift was a Union sympathizer and had sons fighting on both sides in the Civil War. He was also one of Hamilton County's first millionaires. His ghost is also rumored to haunt the church's cemetery. We have to retrieve the epaulettes from his uniform since he was buried in this uniform."

"Wait!" I hold my hands up as if stopping traffic. "We have to dig up and steal from the grave of a guy who supposedly haunts the area? That's just asking for trouble. Oh, man."

I shake my head in shock of what we have to do. Can this get any worse? Wait. Don't ask that. This is definitely worse than caving. Why does everything involving this stupid curse have to do with breaking the law? A grave is sacred and this just reeks of all kinds of wrong, but I know I have no choice. I have to do it. It means freedom and I can't look Carlisle in the eyes and say, "Sorry. I know you want your life and all, but I'm too creeped out to help you dig a grave. See ya!"

"We might need more manpower for this trip since we'll be digging quite a bit. See if Jasper would be willing to help again and perhaps another friend who is strong and can keep his mouth shut? It just makes me edgy to bring more people into this nightmare."

"I can't argue with that." I heave a sigh. "I think I have the perfect person in mind."

*

Oh Emmett. I hope you can keep your mouth shut. Rosalie will probably be involved as well since he can't hide a thing from her. At least she's an extra hand to help dig. I'm not looking forward to telling them about this long drawn out drama. They'll think I'm insane.

I plod on over to the Lambda Chi house after leaving Carlisle's office to see if Emmett is around. I'm sure he'll want in on this adventure, but how do I delicately explain the story? I guess being straight forward is best. No need in skirting around anything. I'm over that stuff by now.

I knock on the door and am greeted by Ben who is on his way out.

"Hey Ben! Is Emmett around?"

"Yeah. Up in his room working on a paper I think."

"Cool. Thanks."

He then waves his hand 'good-bye' as he saunters farther down the sidewalk.

I cross the foyer and head up the stairs and call out, "Yo! Em! You around?" I don't want to accidentally walk in on him if he's naked or something so I want to give fair warning. My face heats in a blush as I think of Emmett naked. Yes, logically I know he belongs to Rosalie, but he is still fine as all get-out. I don't think I'd be able to get that visual out of my head if I saw it first hand. I'm not blind.

"Hey girl. What do I owe the pleasure of your company to?" He reclines at his desk, rests his head on clasped hands, and props his socked feet on his desk, crossing them at the ankles.

"Remember when we went to the Battlefield about a month ago? It has to do with that and my freak out at the cabin. But you have to promise that this doesn't leave the room. You can tell Rose, but that is it. If you talk to her about it before I have a chance, you must stress direly that she can tell no one. Alice and Jasper already know."

His eyebrows rise in anticipation and I launch into the tale of the whole sordid affair. As I tell the story, he bounces up and down in his seat like an ADD kid on Nerds.

"I'm _so_ in! This is too cool, but, girl, that's some gross stuff. I might have to wear a doctor mask or something. I feel like a ninja or James Bond. Call me Double-oh-Em!"

"Grab some masks for all of us," I say only half joking. This is going to stink—literally.

Alice, Rosalie and I meet up at the sorority house later for some girl-bonding time. I allow Alice to give me a mani-pedi in sparkly pink so she's instantly suspicious so then I go into the day's events and catch Rose up to date on all the past stuff such as notes and meeting in the park. The icing is when I tell her and Alice the next mission. _"Ew!"_ seems to be the consensus.

*

As per that last time's protocol, we meet on a Wednesday to pre-game and we arrange to meet on Saturday night at Carlisle's to do our dastardly deed. How did I become a grave robber? If I thought getting arrested for breaking into a cave would be bad, this would be a hundred times worse.

It's Saturday night and we carpool up to Carlisle's in Emmett's Jeep. We're going to take Esme's silver Land Cruiser since there are six of us tonight and it has the pop-out row of seats. At least we don't have to worry about bulky equipment this time. Ah, no more ropes, helmets, or harnesses. We just have to pack a few shovels and a box to store the epaulettes. He'll store them in his safe with the quartz until we get a clue of what to do with all these artifacts.

Just like Alice's first meeting with Dr. C., poor Rose could barely utter a complete sentence when I introduced them. Rose is _never, ever_ at a loss for words. Hee! That man has some sort of weird woman voodoo. Is that a ghost thing? Will Edward be that way? Sigh…

"Bella," Rose whispers to me. "You weren't kidding. He _is_ Professor Hotness. I don't see how you can make it through class. Now I know why you make an A in your history classes."

"I've only had him for this one class, Rose. Give me a little credit, but, yes, he is incentive to have perfect attendance," I say with a wink.

We drive up Highway 153 to 27 pretty much riding parallel the Tennessee River. I remember fond memories of swimming in the Chickamauga Lake this past summer with my old high school friends Maggie, Carmen and Charlotte. They went off to Georgia State University in Atlanta so we get together over summers as much as possible and during other school breaks.

We exit and head north on Dayton Pike to the Presbyterian Church cemetery in Soddy Daisy. Here we go again. What kind of name is Soddy Daisy for a town? That's just weird. I can't help but think "Soggy Daisy." What does _soddy_ mean? We're pretty far out on the outskirts of the greater Chattanooga area and I have never been this far north in the county. I should be immune to weird little towns by now. Of course, I've heard the town's name a zillion times since I grew up in the area, but I've never had a reason to trudge up here before.

The night is cool and clear. _Ah!_ _Perfect for grave digging_, I think wryly. It seems that lately I've spent my Saturday nights doing aberrant activity. I pray this is not a pattern. I say a small prayer asking this to be the last time we have to partake of a scavenger hunt silently as we park a little south of the church. Carlisle is a stickler when it comes to not parking right at the scene of the 'crime.'

Here we go. Just call me: Bella Swan—Grave Robber. This time poor Alice wasn't doomed to wear flannel and rubber boots. Yes, she's in jeans, but there is nary a flannel in sight on her body and her feet are clad in pink Doc Martens. She's additionally and adorably dressed in a Juicy pink hoodie adorned with faux fur with a black and white cashmere sweater underneath. She's claiming 'grunge chic' with the ensemble although she could have claimed that with the flannel from the last adventure.

I'm getting a really weird vibe about all of this. How can one prepare to rob a grave without feeling weird about it? I'm expecting lightning to crash down on all of us right now as the guys and Rosalie pull the shovels and other equipment out of the back of Esme's Toyota and I am the keeper of the metal storage box while Alice totes the flashlights. This is wrong on so many levels. If I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.

"How are we supposed to get away with this? The fresh dirt is going to be a telltale sign that something less than upright happened here," I pipe up logically almost wanting to abandon our mission.

Emmett cracks back, "Don't worry Bells. We'll be long gone before anyone notices. We're pretty out here in Podunk and this place is awfully isolated. Unless someone comes out to place flowers tomorrow, I imagine it will be a few days before someone sees it. Chillax my sweet friend."

We comb through the cemetery until we find the plot we're seeking and it actually wasn't too hard. As we approach one of the bigger monuments in the burial ground, chills run up and down my spine. I guess that's expected when one hangs out in a graveyard late at night. I'm on the verge of a panic attack and start wheezing and drop to the ground.

"Oh, gosh! Bella!" Alice calls out startled.

"Don't worry. Just give me a moment. We're all going to hell. We're going to be struck by lightning. I can't do this." My panting and puffing slowly ebbs through sheer willpower. "Just keep your eye on the prize. Don't think about that you're doing. Detach yourself," I chant internally.

Slowly, I rise and hesitantly to join the others who have already started digging. With a look of shock on my face, I then stand as still as a statue as I edge the plot. Alice is mainly serving as a lookout in case we have to bolt pronto and I'm too much of a basket case, or shall I say _casket case_, to be useful.

The atmosphere is tense as the group digs deeper and deeper. I think the weight of the situation is starting to sink into everyone else's heads and hearts are heavy with the thought of defiling a grave. _Caves and graves._

A loud clank screams out as a shovel hits the wooden casket. I'm going to be sick; I just know it. _Ugh._

"It shouldn't be too hard to open this since it's a basic pine casket," Carlisle states and then a pensive looks spreads across his face. "I should be in one of these. This should be me."

He looks like he's about to break down, but shakes it off and gets on his game face. He's probably doing the detaching thing as well, but that's basically the only way any of us will get through this task.

Carlisle crowbars open the casket and we all stare frozen in a train wreck sort of fashion. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and mumbles something intelligibly before completely lifting the lid.

We all gasp. Before us lies an ancient corpse that has lain peacefully since 1886. Thankfully, there's not much left of him other than bones and a uniform and the epaulettes, of course, squeal in my vision like a blaring siren.

I absently hand over the box as Jasper hands it to Carlisle who then snips away the uniform decoration from the shoulders. His plastic gloved hands gingerly transport both to the container. Not wanting to waste any time, Jasper and Emmett quickly lift him out of the hole and we hear a howl. It's the howl of a tormented man. It's extremely loud. The neighbors had to have heard that.

"Did I imagine that?" Rose gasps out.

"I don't think so," Jasper responds and we huddle together.

With baited breath, I glance back at the grave and am stunned. The dirt is back in the hole with the grass over it as it was before we disturbed the land. It looks as if we were never there.

I nudge Carlisle and frantically whisper out, "Let's get out of here now or I'm going to need CPR."

Afraid that something may have happened to our booty during that surreal experience, Carlisle checks that the golden brushes are still inside. Whew. We quickly regain our wits and make haste to the vehicle.

The ride home is quiet, solemn. The ride back from the caverns was somewhat exciting, but this is just morose. At least the grave looks undefiled, I reason, as if that's any kind of solace. We're sick grave robbers. We're all going to have nightmares for the next year and we'll deserve it.

We make it back to the Cullen home and Carlisle senses our heebie-jeebies.

"You guys are welcome to stay here. We've got plenty of room as long as some of you don't mind bunking together or sacking out on the couch."

I look at Alice to gauge her reaction and we nod at each other and the rest of the crew seems to be in accord. Alice and Jasper curl up together in one guest room and Em and Rose bunk in another. The only other unused bedroom is set up to be the twins' nursery so I opt for the big taupe fluffy den couch. I'm not exactly thrilled to be downstairs all alone, but I don't have much of a choice.

I discard my shoes, jacket and socks and curl up with a soft green blanket and a pillow and nod off.

*

The next morning, we woke and head our separate ways. Alice goes back to our dorm, Rose to the sorority house, Em to the frat house, and Jasper to his dorm. I go to my dad's. I have to visit my Green Eyes. I have to try to search him and possibly tell him what happened. I owe it to him and myself to try.

I park in my normal spot and head up Snodgrass Hill toward the woods where we normally meet. After some fumbling, I relocate the stump I usually sit upon to wait. I wait. And wait. And wait. Tears prick my eyes as I fear that he is gone for good.

Thirty minutes pass. I swear I'm not going to leave this place in one piece. Charlie is going to think I'm a freak.

He's gone forever. _No. I can't think that way._ The tears still continue to fall. _No. No. No. We've come too far to fail now._

"Bella!" I hear the beautiful voice call out to me. I can't see him, but can only hear. "Please! You must break the curse soon. They've trapped me and are stronger. Only breaking the curse will bring me out. It's the lady in white and the true green eyes. They don't want me free. If they can't be free, then no one can. They hate me. They hate your care. It's jealousy. Please…" his voice drops off desperately.

Then, I see a flash of him, beautiful in his uniform, and he's gone. A couple of minutes later, I hear a pained wail. _No, not him._ He looked terrorized, totally defeated. I'll never forget that sound.

After sobbing for about an hour on the dirt floor of the forest, I call Carlisle sounding almost unrecognizable.

"I don't care if you have more visions or not, but we've got to do something _now._ They've got him trapped. Two powerful ghosts have gotten him—the true green eyes and the lady in white. He flashed right before my eyes. I can no longer visit him the way I used to. We have to do what we can now to free him. We can't let him just stay like this. He needs us so bad. I need him…"

* * *

**For an example of the epaulette: howardlanham (dot) tripod (dot) com/link119 (dot) htm Also check my profile for other story-related links.**

**Silly bit of trivia: Col. William Clift is a ancestor of the actor Montgomery Clift.**

**Recs (all can be found on FFn): **_**Master Race**_** by Babette12, **_**Silence**_** by ****Padme-And-Anakin-4-Ever, **_**Alton House**_** by velvetglo, **_**The Deluded**_** by FantasyMother, and **_**Duty and Desire**_** by Aspenleaf.**

**Outfits for this chapter are linked on my profile. Polyvore rocks!**


	12. A Visit to Hooper Hall

**A/N: there are several locations on the UTC campus that are rumored to be haunted such as Hooper Hall, Brock Hall (where the history department is located) and the Lambda Chi Alpha house among other locales. As you can see, the Chattanooga area is a pretty haunted place. The places where I have phantom encounters are all real places that are supposedly haunted. Do a Google search on 'haunted' and 'Chattanooga' and you'll get **_**tons**_** of hits. There are some really cool articles. It has been claimed to be up there in haunting amounts with New Orleans.**

**Big love out there to all who have reviewed my little fic or added it to your alerts!!! You guys make me keep going. As a fic writer, sometimes you wonder if anyone is actually reading your nonsense. :)  


* * *

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**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Twelve**

**A Visitor in Hooper Hall**

_According to Georgiana Kotarski, author of "Ghosts of the Southern Tennessee Valley," there have been several reports of strange happenings in Hooper Hall. She said faculty, custodians and campus police have witnessed abnormal activity in the empty building at night such as doors slamming, footsteps, elevators ascending to the top floor for no reason and strange drops in temperature in certain spots._

_For further investigation, Chuck Cantrell, assistant vice chancellor of university relations, said he gave a psychic a piece of paper with "615 McCallie Ave." written on it. Cantrell said the psychic told him a man named John had committed suicide in a room in the building that was filled with chemicals. After looking through some old newspapers, Cantrell discovered that indeed on January 7, 1924, a grounds keeper named John Hockings had gassed himself in a chemical store room in Hooper Hall, which at that time was the science building. –Joseph Flis, UTC Echo, April 17, 2008_

_*  
_

"Bella, we don't know what to do with our relics. We can't go randomly traipsing around the park with this stuff and hope something happens. I know you're desperate, but what else can we do? Those ghosts might try to do something to harm us as well." Carlisle huffs in frustration at my fraught sobbing. Darn him for being logical. I want to scream in frustration and be irrational. It would feel good right now. I need a catharsis.

"If we pick a fight with powerful ghosts, they may cause one of us to be in a severe accident or go insane. We've come this far and I don't have a death wish."

"I already feel insane, so I'm not worried about that, but I hate feeling helpless and useless right now."

"Bella, you're not useless; you are the one who has co-organized this whole exploit. A lesser person wouldn't have done what you have. We just have to wait."

I can tell Carlisle is losing his patience with me and I can virtually hear him rolling his eyes at his phone.

"Okay, okay. I'll try to be nice and enduring," I grumble, resigned.

*

Another week passes and I'm about to pull my hair out. Every time I walk into Carlisle's class he just gives a brief shake of his head to let me know that he has not had any new visions. I almost think he's avoiding me, but I can't really blame him. I'm sure I have been grating on his last nerves lately.

I've also become a little withdrawn. At least my friends are understanding and are playing this off as a temporary thing. It just hurts to see other happy couples and carefree students go about their merry way while I wallow in angst. I must get out of this room. I need to run a random errand just to get out of this bland cube which is my dorm room.

I need to check on the status of some scholarship money that I should be receiving soon so I head out to Hooper Hall to the financial aid office. I'm not hurting for money, but with the more scholarship money I can get my hands on, the less I'll have to dip into my college fund. It's pretty late in the afternoon and with any luck the office hasn't closed up for the day. The aid office is sort of notorious for closing a little early. _Slackers._

Hooper Hall really is a beautiful building and I stop to admire the façade before opening the heavy doors. Ah! It looks like the office is still open since I see light through the windows. I stride down the main hall approaching the elevators and _oof!_ Something hits me from the side with alarming force and I'm instantly thrust into an elevator while falling on my butt. That's going to hurt later.

I think that possibly a rude person in a hurry to get to the fin aid office pushed me, but that force winded me. I stand and press the button to open the doors. Nothing happens. I press, and press, and press. No movement. Then I bang on the metal doors and yell.

"Hey! I'm stuck in here. The buttons aren't working. Can anyone get me out of here?" I'm more annoyed than anything at this point.

Suddenly, the elevator shakes throwing me back down and ascends rapidly to the top floor. These elevators never move that fast. The lights inside are also flashing wildly. This is not normal. Now it's my turn to freak out.

"W-w-what is going on?" I whisper out frantically and dry heave on all fours.

The car shakes again, doors open and I'm propelled into a dark hallway. My eyes are wide, trying to adjust to the darkness, and I reach for my cell phone. No reception. I've never had a problem with reception anywhere on campus before. This is not good.

"Little girl," a shrill woman's voice screeches out, "Mind your own business. Keep your nose away from where it doesn't belong or you and your friends, mortal and immortal, won't like the outcome."

A flash of white blurs by and I'm thrown against the wall. She appears to me in all of her terrifying glory with a long white, gauzy dress flowing about and her beautiful face framed with wild red hair. She notices my study of her face and suddenly it distorts into something grotesque and she howls maniacally with laughter.

"You like my tricks? I've got many more of them up my sleeve."

"The lady in white," I barely utter out.

"Ah! So you have heard of me. I love being famous. Sadly, I'm stuck in this limbo, and my name is actually Victoria," she sighs wistfully like she's having a conversation with a friend. "You're a stubborn little thing, aren't you? Your dear little Edward warned you about us awhile back. It's too bad you didn't walk away from the cabin that first night and never returned. It is too bad for you my sweet Bella. I wish I had someone wanting to help me the way you want to help your little soldier."

"Maybe I can help you too," I mumble out.

"No, my dear, I don't want your pity and you can't help me anyway. I'm not stuck here because of a curse that can be broken; I'm stuck here as a penance for killing my husband." She glances down at her nails almost as if she is bored. "He should have known better than to tell me what to do. He was a bossy little jerk. He never laid a hand on me, but" yawns, "I began to bore of him and wanted to move on and be with my lover James. I shot him with his own hunting rifle, but not before he beheaded my dear Jamie. Jay knew the plan was to help me dispose of the body so when he heard the gunshot, he barged in our humble abode and, in a flash, Laurent grabbed a machete and swiped his head clear off before crumpling to the ground. Laurent got to rest in piece while my sweetheart and I are doomed to roaming the park and he is left with no body. You see, if we can't have our happily ever after, then no other ghosts can.

"So, darling, please stay away from the park and give up on your poor little Eddie or it won't be the last visit you get from me. Maybe I'll send James next? He's not as kind as I am," she cackles crazily. "Well it's been wonderful chatting. The elevator should work now. Sorry you didn't make it to the financial aid office today. Try again tomorrow." She smirks and vanishes.

Abruptly the lights are on and the elevator dings. I make no hesitation to hurl myself in and sprint out of that building. Plopping on the front steps, I wheeze and clutch my chest. The people walking by are looking at me strangely, but don't bother with asking if I'm okay. I could be on fire and no one would notice. _Stupid self-absorbed people._

Pulling my cell back out which amazingly now has good reception, I dial Carlisle. There's no answer on his cell so I try his office. No answer there either. I hate to bug Esme, but I ring up his house in extreme anxiety.

"Hello," Esme's cheerful voice calls out.

"Hey. It's Bella and I was wondering if Dr. Cullen is around."

"No. He's not home yet. His class finished up about two hours ago and I think he was going to do some work in his office. Shall I tell him you called?"

"Sure. Thanks, Esme." I try to force myself to sound cool and collected.

Where is he? I head to Brock Hall with a sinking feeling. An article I came across when I researched ghosts in the Chattanooga area pops in my head.

_Brock Hall is on a site of an old jail and execution yard, as well as the old medical building where there was a black market for body parts._

That's where the history department is. That's where Carlisle's office is.

I rush to the building and try the front door and it's locked. Why is it locked? There are classes still going on in there. I pound and wriggle the handle, but get no response from inside. So I run around to a side door and thankfully, it opens. _Whew._ Racing up the stairwell, I run at mach one to his closed door. I attempt to knock calmly and get no response. Normally, I wouldn't do this, but I turn the doorknob and crack it open. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I stare in shock at his little office which looks like a hurricane came through and I trip on something, or shall I say, someone.

"Dr. Cullen! Dr. Cullen!" I rasp panicked. At least he's breathing. It looks like he's going to have a nasty bump on his head later. From his desk phone, I frantically call campus security and they send an ambulance to transport him to Erlanger and I try to figure out what I'm going to tell the police.

"What happened here ma'am?" the weathered cop questions with a raise of his left brow.

"I, uh, came to ask Dr. Cullen, he teaches one of my classes, about a project I'm working on. And, uh, I knocked on the door and cracked it open and noticed the chaos. I was worried so I, uh, stepped in and tripped over his body. That's how I found him."

"Why did you open the door if he didn't answer?" He looks at me suspiciously.

"Um, well, if he's on the phone and can't answer the door, he just prefers to have you quietly peek in and wave and then wait in the hall." I lie not so smoothly. "Is there anything else you need? I'd like to call his wife and follow him to the hospital." He seems to buy my story.

"No. I guess we're done here. You're free to go. It looks like may have fell and knocked himself out. It's a mess, but nothing appears to be missing. We may have more questions later."

I nod and dart off calling Esme quickly. She's in a panic and will head to the hospital as soon as she leaves Tanya with a neighbor and gives me her cell number. We plan to meet at the admissions desk. I also mass text Emmett, Rose, Alice and Jasper to give them a head's up. The Lambda Chi house is rumored to be haunted, but Em and Ben have never mentioned anything off kilter in their home.

I sprint across the campus to Erlanger which is adjacent to the university. I figure that this is quicker than getting my car and then having to find a parking spot at the hospital.

I rush the admissions desk winded with wild eyes. "Carlisle Cullen?"

The bored looking receptionist slowly types something in the computer and sighs. Can this woman be any more irritating or slower? Jeez people. She acts as if I'm inconveniencing her. This is her job for crying out loud!

"It looks like he's in the emergency room. Try there." This woman still looks utterly bored and turns away from me. How do people like her keep their jobs?

I quickly text Esme and tell her to meet me in the emergency room and that I'll send her any other info if he gets moved to a room.

After some fumbling and getting turned around, I finally make it to the ER and the desk clerk here is much more friendly and helpful.

"They just moved him to a room, dear. He's in 301," the maternal bespectacled woman in pink scrubs informs me.

I meet Esme just outside his room and she looks like she's about to pass out as we hug. Carlisle's vitals are being checked by a nurse.

"How is he? How will he be?" Esme sadly mutters as she eyes her unconscious husband.

"It looks like he got hit pretty hard on the head and is in a mild coma. We expect him to wake out of it in a day or so. There's no internal bleeding and everything else looks good, so we just have to wait. This is his body's way of healing itself from blunt force trauma."

I notice the name Starla on her name-tag and the fact that she has the same color of eyes as Edward. I'm becoming obsessed with green eyes in general. This has got to stop.

Esme gasps and places her hand to her mouth at the word 'trauma.' I swear the woman is about to go in labor on the spot. At least we're at a hospital.

I stay with her for a few more hours and she assures me that she will be fine and will keep me updated on Carlisle's condition. She promises that she will call me the moment he wakes up and I make sure to tell her that if she needs anything to ring. I can't help but wonder if it was Victoria or maybe James that did that to him. This is a vicious circle that will never end. Who else are they going to hurt? I quickly text everyone and tell them that Carlisle is expected to be fine and to ask them to let me know if anything weird happens to them. I remind them to not go anywhere by themselves—as if that would matter to a ghost.

Later that night I have the most unsettling nightmare. I dream that James and Victoria trap all of my close friends, including Edward, and make me watch the torture. After that, both of them take their turns with me, knocking me against the wooden walls of the Snodgrass cabin. I look down and spot black and blue bruises on my arms and then they set my clothes on fire—while I'm still wearing them. I wake in a fright and notice that I have real bruises on my forearms. What on earth? There's no way.

I stumble over to Alice's bed and nudge her.

"What? Huh?" Alice grunts half awake.

"How are you? Did you hear anything weird just now? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Why are you freaking out?"

"Look at my arms. I had this nightmare," and I launch into my horrid dream. There is no freedom from these sadists. Why can't it be Edward visiting me in a much more pleasant manner? I would much rather dream of him kissing me or doing, erm, other things than this anguish.

*

The next morning, I wake up and head to class. Esme calls to let me know her husband is awake and I head to the hospital immediately afterwards. In all of this chaos, I can't let my grades suffer since I know Carlisle does have someone with him. It's such a relief and the tension evaporates a little bit. At least he's okay now. My prayer is that nothing else happens to anyone related to this project. I don't think I could live with myself if that happened. It would be my fault.

I knock and he calls out, "Come in!"

Dr. C. seems surprisingly well-rested and in good spirits despite the fact he's in the hospital after getting assaulted by a supernatural being, as I suspect.

"Bella! I'm not surprised you are here," he says with an unexpected shine in his blue eyes. "I'm told that you are the one who found me."

"Yes. How do you feel? When do you get to go home?"

"Probably later today, but they just want to make sure all is right with me before I get released."

"I know this might not be the right time to bring this up, but I want to know if what happened to you has anything to do with a visit I received from a rather irate ghost named Victoria," I hedge uncomfortably.

"No," he says with shock written across his face so I go into my visit with Victoria during the last afternoon and then my nightmare. I display my arm bruises as exhibit number one. He subsequently tells me he had a visit from a blonde-haired apparition with bright red eyes named James.

"What on earth are we going to do?" I sink my head into my hands pulling at my brown hair. "This isn't going to stop. Will it even stop after you and Edward are free? I don't want you or anyone else getting more hurt than you already are." The anxiety seeps through my tone and I mentally catalog any building on campus that's haunted.

My phone rings and I see that it's Emmett. "Hold that thought. Em is calling."

"Bells! I've got to talk to you. The weirdest thing just happened. Our house is rumored to be haunted, but this is beyond a weird noise or random door opening."

My eyes go wide and I whisper to Dr. Cullen what Emmett just said as alarm creeps across his features. At that time, Esme brings Tanya in for a visit.

"Em, can you just tell me? I'm visiting Carlisle in the hospital."

"Okay. That's fine, but you know how Dr. Cullen gets visions? Um, a ghost just visited me and wants to help."

"Can you grab Alice, Jazz, Rose and head to Carlisle's room?"

"Sure. No prob."

About an hour later, there's a congregation of all the ghost hunting students in his room while Esme gracefully excuses herself and Tanya to go get a snack. Esme tells Tanya that daddy tripped and bumped his head as an explanation of why he's in the hospital.

"Dude. Man. This was the freakiest thing ever," Emmett regales as his eyes go wide. "I just went to my room, took a leak and was ready to do some studying and this freaky ghost dude appeared.

"He said his name is Garrett and was the friend of the ex-husband of a woman named Victoria who cheated on him and killed him. He has seen what is going on and never thought her and her lover, James, would actually ever do anything so vicious, but that now he has to step in. He says he's been living in the fraternity house for over fifty years. I guess that explains a lot, but he says he's harmless and I believe him. Weird stuff has happened there, but nothing bad. He feels that once he is able to get justice against his friend's ex and her guy that he will be able to head to the afterlife finally. I told him we would do what we can and he promised to help. He said to take the artifacts that we have collected the very night after Carlisle is out of the hospital and meet in the middle of Snodgrass Hill at midnight. He stated that we are to gather in a circle, join hands, and place the stuff in the middle where he will join us and give us directions on what to do next."

I want to feel sick about what I've put all of my friends into. I can't regret meeting Edward, but I can regret sucking my friends into this mess.

"Well. We've got to do what we have to do," I sigh dejectedly and stare at my shoes.

*

Carlisle gets released the next morning and we decide to meet that night at the Chickamauga Battlefield. Carlisle seems to be fine and his bump is going down. I think he's pretty tired of all of our fussing over him and convinces us that it is no big deal and if he needs to rest, he can lay down in the back of Esme's Toyota while another one of us drives back. We meet at his house as normal, but refuse to let him drive. I take the wheel for this venture as he joins me in the front passenger seat. We've decided to carpool in both the Land Cruiser and Emmett's Jeep in anticipation of having an extra passenger to take with us. I keep my fingers crossed.

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**Thanks so much to the awesome reviews from last chapter. I plan on not having these chaps not too far apart in the future and this is a good start. Reviews make Carlisle wake from his coma. **** They also let you lick Ghostward's barcode (the ladies on the Twilighted thread will understand that one).**

**Some people have asked about them only having to get two things thus making this a short story. I don't have an estimated chapter count, but the story doesn't end when Edward becomes human (I hate stories with no follow-through or no sequels in lieu of a follow-up). As you can see, we've still got a ways to go before he can get there, but we will eventually get to see them be human together. **

**Please visit the links on my profile such as LoGE photo album, Polyvore page, and link to Twilighted thread.**

**Story recs for this chappy (I tend to rec less known, but quality fics—all are on FFn):**

**Girl with the Red Notebook by Starrynytex (companion to Boy in the Red Sweater)**

**The Cannabean Betrothal by ItzMegan73 (check out her other stories as well)**

**Expectations and Other Moving Pieces by chrometurtle (so much angst in this one)**

**This Is Not My Life by ****isakassees**


	13. Thrill of Snodgrass Hill

**I wish I owned these characters, but sadly I don't—only the plot so don't take what's not yours. Don't be a loser who can't be creative on your own. It is sad shame that so many great fic authors have been plagiarized lately.  
**

**The theme song for this chapter is "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo. Also, I've never written an action scene so I hope this doesn't suck. My apologies if it's not up to snuff. I know I've been on quite a roll (update frequency) the last few chapters with this story so I probably won't be as quick with the next chappy. I will need to put my head in the right frame of mind when I write Edward from now on. I have an outline of how I want the rest of all of this to play out, but I need to know how to translate it from my head to my keyboard. I've tried banging my head on the keyboard, but unfortunately it doesn't work. Bummer. If I had to guess, the chapter count will be more than 20--maybe upper 20s, but I'm not absolutely sure.**

**Big love to those who read this story!! I appreciate it more than you can ever realize.  
**

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The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Thrill on Snodgrass Hill**

**Chapter Thirteen**

_This legendary ghost [the lady in white] has been seen many times by numerous people roaming on the grounds. According to legend, she was the wife or lover of a soldier who was killed in battle. Her ghost is clad in a white wedding gown as she searches the battlefield for her loved one._

_David Lester and some of his fellow Civil War re-enactors were camping at the battlefield when they were performing in an event that shows visitors how soldiers lived during the war. Several of his friends went to a neighboring camp to meet fellow re-enactors. They talked for several hours around a campfire._

_The next morning, the group went back to the neighboring camp to visit the re-enactors, but they were gone. There was no sign of a campfire or any evidence that humans had been there.__ –Jill Stefko, "Haunted Chickamauga Battlefield," Paranormal, Dec. 2009

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_

This is becoming way too familiar—carpooling to the park in search of ghosts. I hope this is the last occasion where I have to encounter ghosts and be the last time I have to go to the battlefield for a very, very long time. I especially have no desire to be there at night which seems to be when the ghosts like to come out and play. Mentally, I try to keep it light and not think too deeply about our mission. I know I'll meltdown if I focus on it too much. I just don't want anyone to be hurt whether it be Edward, Carlisle or my human friends.

The eerie fog swirling against the hills is ominous as the chill hits my face when we exit the vehicles. We all tensely look over at one another trying to emotionally put on our game faces. We walk toward the middle of the field with Carlisle clutching the box housing our quartz and epaulettes while Emmett grabs Rosalie's hand as if holding on for dear life. Jasper clinches his arm around Alice's tiny, trembling form as if she is his oxygen tank.

Carlisle gingerly opens the box and places it down on the grass and then steps back.

"Let's form a circle and hold hands," Em whispers out as his eyes furtively scan the pasture. We all look like we are expecting to be spooked at any second which is what will hopefully happen.

"Do we have to say anything? Summon this Garrett ghost or something?" I nervously breathe out.

"No. He said to just come out, form a circle and wait for him," Emmett replies.

I gulp and we bide our time. The night gets cooler and creepier and more fog rolls in. It's becoming incredibly dense. All is quiet except for the sound of our breathing and we steal glances from each other. We all seem to be mentally saying, "What on earth have we gotten into and we're going to die!"

Jasper then gravely whispers to Alice, "I love you. This wasn't the way I anticipated telling you for the first time, but, you know, just in case."

Alice looks like she's about to burst in tears and softly sobs, "I love you too, Jazz, but this isn't the end." They kiss softly and start a trend.

Rosalie and Emmett kiss and declare themselves. "I can't wait to marry you Blondie. It can't happen soon enough." Rose just looks back at him with a smile and glassy eyes.

After a tense hour of staring at each other, our shoes and the expanse of land, we hear a pop. Walking out of the fog, I see a tall handsome man with sandy hair. Then there is another pop and walking a few feet behind him is an equally good-looking man with black hair. Both are dressed in the style of the mid 1800s. Are all ghosts hot? I internally slap myself for thinking of such nonsense at a time like this. They approach closer and Carlisle and I unclasp our hands and move apart to open our circle, but I'm still grabbing Rose's hand like a lifeline and I don't think Alice will let Carlisle part with his left hand without some major upheaval.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen. I'm Garrett and this is my friend Laurent. We're here to help you get your friend back and get rid of those sadistic spirits."

Carlisle looks Garrett in the eyes and gasps with his blue eyes wide and his jaw slack.

"It has been you, hasn't it? I know your voice. It's the vision voice." I think he's about to faint at any moment.

"Yes. You may call me a ghost, angel, spirit guide or what have you, but after I died of old age many years after my dear friend Laurent was murdered, I was informed that I would be a helper. My services aren't frequently used, but Victoria and James have to be stopped once and for all. They've caused too much trouble for too many years in this park. Laurent continues to be my friend in the afterlife and he wanted to help."

"Are you stuck in a limbo like other ghosts?" I barely squeak out.

"No, dear Bella, I am not. I only leave the spirit world when duty calls. Emmett, I do apologize for our alarming meeting at your fraternity house. It can't be normal to have an apparition suddenly appear right in front of you. I had been instructed to keep watch over the house for awhile. I guess that is where the haunting rumors originated, but basically, Laurent and I are not restless souls who need to be helped like your friend Edward or Carlisle."

I am shocked that these two seem to be fully in the flesh. They aren't transparent or ethereal like Victoria, James (I imagine him to be like the others) or Edward. I guess that is one of the differences between Edward's kind and theirs.

Garrett then moves to the center of our loop, removes the items from the box and closes it. Then he places the quartz and golden brushes atop the metal and joins our circle. Carlisle shivers visibly as Garrett takes his hand and I almost bust a gasket as Laurent takes my left one.

"Let's make the circle bigger," Garrett instructs and we comply. "Come out, come out wherever you are. I know you're here, Victoria and James."

Laurent and Garrett leave the circle and a loud boom like that of a cannon sounds. My attention is diverted by the visual of Victoria and the ghost I assume to be James dragging my poor Green Eyes behind them like he's a sack of garbage across the field coming from the direction of the mass of trees he and I would meet at.

_Do not freak out. Do not freak out._ _Keep it together. People are counting on you._

I inhale measured, calming breaths and am immediately jolted breathless as I see Carlisle turn transparent. Rose lets out a shriek and pants. _I feel the exact same way, Rose._ Carlisle can't be lost. No! No! No!

Laurent pipes up, "Everyone human here should hold hands and focus on the green and gold. You must not take your eyes off of those items no matter what you hear going on around. Doesn't everyone understand that? It's about to begin."

We do as instructed and focus on the middle of the gathering.

"Oh hello old friend Garrett," Victoria croons. "It's such a shame to meet again like this. It's too bad that Jamie and I will be the only ones remaining after this." James joins in her creepy laugh and I swear I'm going to throw up. "My dear Laurent, I will enjoy killing you for a second time."

"No, dear, I will kill you for the first time and kill James for the second time," Laurent responds coolly.

Jasper is on the side of the circle where he can view what's going on in his peripheral vision while still concentrating on the relics. He's also the only one who has the presence of mind to communicate with us right now.

I hear a thud and then Jasper quietly speaks, "They just dropped Edward to the ground and they look defiant. He's just curled up on the ground like he's in pain. Visually, he seems okay, but it's like they have some sort of spell on him keeping him in pain."

I can only nod back at him. My vocal cords fail at this moment, and I cringe at the thought of him being in pain all of this time.

"Carlisle, Laurent and Garrett are standing beside each other prepped for battle and James and Victoria are about two feet in front of them." I could kiss Jasper for being able to give this play by play. My curiosity would kill me otherwise. "Hell is about to break loose."

Then it does literally sound like it's breaking loose. All I can hear are snarls and deafening crashes like metal banging and screeching. _Focus. Focus. Focus._

Jasper continues his accounting, "It's hard to tell what exactly is happening because it's going so fast, but Carlisle just got knocked out by James and Victoria clocked Laurent. Garrett is going for James now. James and Victoria are some tough fighters and powerful. _Whoa_."

The screeching and pounding ensues as tears fall down my cheeks. How much longer? I hear more unintelligible growls, screams, and snarls as Edward moans in pain.

"Carlisle just took James's head off. Now he's pulling his arms and legs off. Laurent and Garrett are taking care of Victoria. Now I know why our side needed an extra helper. That evil couple is dangerous and potent. They wouldn't have made it without Carlisle."

I hear a woman's vociferous howl and then a man's. A loud pop sounds overhead.

Garrett and Laurent walk and look over at us as Carlisle collapses to the ground and Edward goes limp. Both look dead.

"It's done. Don't worry. They will be okay, but we have to go. It was a pleasure working with you and, hopefully, we never have to meet again in this lifetime," Garrett says with a grave smile and nod. They disappear into nothing and we are left with no evidence they were ever here.

At the moment they dissolve, we see blasts of green and gold intersect and shoot up to the inky sky in deafening blares from the middle of our circle and we all gawk in awe. From there, the flares ricochet off the clouds and back down and hit Carlisle and Edward and it looks like they are being defibrillated as they bounce off the ground. It's our own freaky fireworks display. Both men scream out in agonizing wails and both bodies are illuminated in the two colors. After what feels like eons, all is quiet; the crystal and brushes are gone and all that remains in the center is the metal storage box. Carlisle and Edward are no longer see-through, but they lay completely still on the grass.

I beeline to Edward and the others head to Carlisle. I assume this is because they think that I would want to be the one to tend to him first. As I run to him on the far side of the expanse, I hear Carlisle cough and I peek over and he seems dazed.

"It's over," I hear him murmur. "It's really done. I can't believe it." The others help him to his feet and after hugs are passed around, he immediately pulls his phone out to call Esme.

I make it over to Edward and his eyes are closed, but he's breathing. I can't believe he's finally here in the flesh. Beside myself in awe, I softly reach out and touch his chin. It's soft, warm and stubbly. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding as he coughs out in much of the same manner as Carlisle and his eyes open. Looking back at me are those beautiful green eyes—the most beautiful eyes known to man, he smiles a spectacular smile and props himself up at the waist.

"Hello beautiful," he softly utters. Oh, how I've wanted to hear that velvet voice for so long. It feels like years and I'm on the verge of crying.

I stand, help him up, and then wrap my arms around his torso as if I'm holding on for dear life. In response, his arms snake around my shoulders and we stand there in silence breathing one another in. Heaven is his chin resting atop my head with his arms around my body. Our embraces relax and he brings his hand up to my temple, slowly moving his index and middle fingers down my cheek, to my jaw and finally resting on my neck. His touch is like no other and I lean into his hand with an involuntary smile upon my face.

In kind, I raise my right hand up to caress his eyelids, exquisite cheekbones, strong jaw and then lightly run my index finger across his lips. We helplessly lean further into each other and he whispers.

"Can I kiss you?"

"Of course, silly man, you can kiss me all day long," I chuckle out.

"I love that smile and now I'm going to kiss it," he says confident with a dangerously sexy grin.

Our mouths softly connect and if I thought holding him was heaven, I was wrong. This is. His lips are so soft and warm and I could stay here all night just like this. After taking a moment to soak the feel of each other in, our lips move soft and sensuously together. This already beats out any other kiss I've ever had. I can't help myself, but my tongue slips out of my mouth of its own volition and I taste his sweet lips and groan automatically. Our mouths open to each other and tongues softly taste one another. This is not a hurried kiss as tongues gently stroke and cherish. This is the type of kiss that can last for hours in languorous passion. I can't stand kisses where the guy thinks he has to stick his tongue down a girl's throat or move his tongue a million miles an hour. This man was made for kissing me and we continue to kiss, lick and savor as one of his hands massages the back of my head. I'm afraid if I move too much, he'll disappear. He tenderly kisses the corner of my mouth, cheek, and moves to just below my ear. I almost pass out as he lightly nibbles my earlobe with warm lips and tongue whilst my chest heaves. I'm so glad I didn't wear earrings. My left hand's fingertips gently run and down his neck and I swear I hear him growl.

Carlisle clears his throat from a few feet away and Edward's fingers brush my lips as the sky slightly lightens in anticipation for the dawn. I sigh, he grumbles and we peek over at our audience. I'm not one for PDA, but I would kiss this man out in the middle of Times Square any given day.

We stare longingly at each other a little bit longer and my fingers stroke the skin on his face as he takes a deep breath in like he is committing this moment to memory.

"I guess we need to get out of here, my Bella."

I nod in response and with my arm around his waist and his around my shoulders, we walk towards my friends.

Everyone's eyes are wide as they truly take him in. It's not every day you see a ghost turn into a human.

"Hello, everyone, I'm Edward as you have surely figured out. I can't thank you all enough for what you have done for Carlisle and myself," he says this as he sincerely looks everyone in the eyes with smile of thanks.

I make introductions all around as everyone shakes his hand, but of course Alice is having none of that so she runs up and gives him a forceful and energetic hug.

"You've brought Bella to life. I've never seen her so passionate or determined when it comes to anything else in all the years I've known her. Thank _you_."

"My pleasure, ma'am," he responds in an adorable southern accent. _Gah!_ Everything about him melts me. I am helpless against his mojo.

Carlisle, ever the sensible one, pipes up. "Let's get out of here before it gets too light, and I'm anxious to get back to Esme and Tanya. She's beside herself with worry."

Emmett, Rose, Alice and Jasper climb into Em's Jeep and Carlisle, Edward and I get in the Toyota. We have Carlisle play chauffeur as Edward and I cuddle together in the backseat. I don't think Hulk Hogan could pry us apart right now. We're as entwined as a couple can be with the restraints of seatbelts. Yes, Edward is keeping this uniform. _Mmmm…_ I also feel the night's events catching up on me as I snuggle closer in and doze on the way to Carlisle's house.

Once we pull up the driveway, Esme rushes out of the front door, grabs him with all her might and passionate kissing ensues while I melt further into Edward's chest. Yes, I am in heaven.

I take my turn to wryly clear my throat in retaliation as they break apart, but I'm forgiven and I smirk at the two.

"Sorry, Carlisle, paybacks suck," I giggle.

"Come inside, everyone!" Esme insists.

Carlisle insists that Edward is to live with him and they get to know each other a little better while he is informed that Carlisle is a distant relative. They plan on going with the story that Edward is his nephew who just arrived from Knoxville to stay indefinitely. I yawn and Edward carries me up bridal style to a guestroom after instruction from Carlisle and I nod off in his arms. I wouldn't mind being his bride. _Oh my!_ I've never thought that about a guy before.

I wake to an empty bed and for a moment, I fear that it was all a dream—a freakishly vivid dream, but I hear several voices downstairs, one of which is a giggling little girl.

I take a breather to brush my hair, make sure I look somewhat presentable and head down the stairs.

"She's alive!" Carlisle cackles out dramatically and I notice Edward is looking quite sexy in a tee and gym shorts, but he'd look good in a potato sack. Carlisle must have lent them.

"Sorry. I had a long night," I retort with a smirk. "I had to do some ghostbustin'."

"Bella, please help yourself to whatever you would like. We have juice, toast, cereal and pancakes. Edward's amazed at being able to eat food and has tried everything," Esme, ever the hostess, says with a smile.

I recognize the adorable strawberry blonde girl from the pictures in Carlisle's office and introduce myself.

"You must be Tanya. I'm Bella, a friend of your mommy and daddy's."

I ask her about school, friends, and she coos about the boys in her class. He wasn't kidding when he said she's already boy-crazy at ten. He definitely needs to purchase a rifle ASAP. She's going to be a heart-breaker. She also launches into telling me about her dance and gymnastic classes. Later, she finishes breakfast and asks to be excused to watch cartoons. Once she's gone, we delve into the issues at hand.

It's no surprise that Alice calls and asks to take Edward to go shopping for modern clothes and of course she has to embarrass me by informing him that he has to keep his uniform and when he asks why, she breaks out in giggles and tells him to ask me. I just blush in response and then suddenly he gets it and blushes in kind.

"I can't help it. Guys in uniform are hot," I mumble into my juice, eyes downcast in mortification.

I also find out that before I awoke, Edward plans on taking his GED and enrolling at UTC. Although he graduated high school back in his day, he would have no school records and this will have to suffice. Carlisle will also help him procure an age appropriate birth certificate through a lawyer who helped him with his own papers and then have Edward get a legit social security card and driver's license. It's not like he can present his birth certificate from the 1800s and get those things. In that day, many people didn't have them and births and marriages were recorded in family Bibles.

The house is alive in excitement and Carlisle informs us that he plans to spend a relaxing day with his family when Alice pulls up in her yellow Beetle.

"Don't worry. I'll sit in the back. There's no way you'll fit in the backseat."

Alice bounces in as Carlisle loans Edward some clothes for the day since they are about the same size and there's no other choice unless we want him to go naked or in his uniform. _Not a bad idea._ We subsequently head to Hamilton Place Mall--Alice's shopping mecca in the greater Chattanooga area which is also the largest mall in Tennessee.

Edward's eyes are alight with excitement at just being out and about in the day and merely being thankful he's no longer stuck in that park alone or being tortured by crazy ghosts. It makes me appreciate the small things. Seeing him take pleasure in the minutest experiences makes me more grateful for even the silliest of tasks. I normally dread shopping with Alice, but I'm actually excited this time. I tell her this and she's oh so smug. I ask about how Jasper was able to finagle his way out of this excursion and she says he had some errands to run and he was oddly hushed about it. She purses her lips and furrows her brow, but shakes it off.

We park at one of the secondary entrances in between the two Dillard's stores and make our way into the mall on this cool late October Saturday afternoon. It's not lost on me that Halloween is around the corner and we just got rid of some menacing ghosts and helped one, er, two become human.

"Edward, our sorority is hosting a Halloween party and you're welcome to come." I then mutter softly and avert my eyes, "and you could be my date."

"I would love to accompany you to the party, my lady." I will never get tired of his old school charm. Swoon. We smile shyly at each other. You'd never guess we were making out like crazy last night by the way we're blushing and glancing at each other.

"You can go as a ghost!" Alice cries out laughing. "We'll get a white sheet and cut out some eye holes and voila! Oooh! Or we could go the Charlie Brown route and cut a bunch of holes in the sheet."

"Charlie Brown?" he quirks a questioning auburn eyebrow.

"It's a cartoon. It's one of our favorites. I'm sure the Halloween special will be on TV soon. I'll make sure we watch it together." He then interweaves our fingers together. "Ya know, you could always put your uniform back on and go as a Confederate soldier?" My blush is now at police siren red.

"I might have to do that," he responds, flirting. This man is the death of me.

"Okay, lovebirds, it's time to get down to business," Alice orders. She's a force of nature when it comes to shopping. "We'll start with the basics like shirts, shoes, socks, underwear, jeans and go from there."

_Hee!_ I get to pick out his undies! He's going to a boxer-brief guy. _Rawr! _I'm out of control and I'm not sure I want to regain it._  
_

We walk into Dillard's men's department and amass a pile of Levis, Diesel and Lucky brand jeans. Of course he looks splendid in everything and he picks his favorites before moving to tees and the process continues. We also grab him a pair of dark green Converse low tops and Alice asks why I suggest the green and I explain that it is to match his eyes. Yes, I'm _that_ corny. I also take it upon myself to select some scrumptious smelling cologne and then we head to wallets, belts, socks, etc. We next head to the other stores such as Banana Republic, Hollister, Abercrombie, and grab other essentials such as jackets, a coat, suits, dressy-casual items and the like. It should be illegal how hot he looks in a suit. Other female shoppers aren't oblivious to this either. As we pass by Victoria's Secret on our way to the food court, he stops and stares.

"Don't worry loverboy, when it's time for the honeymoon, I'll make sure she visits that store and is well equipped." Alice laughs riotously and throws her head back.

Just. Kill. Me. Now.

Once my embarrassment ebbs, we take him to eat his first burger and fries, and top it off with a vanilla ice cream swirl from McDonald's.

"No more food!" he pleads. "I can't fit anything else in here, and I don't want to immediately grow out of my new clothes."

With that, we cram all the bags into Alice's car and head to Carlisle's where he presents Edward with a cell phone that he added to his family plan and attempts to show him how to use it.

"Don't worry. We've got plenty of time to figure it out. I just want to make sure you can at least make a basic call for now," Carlisle encourages. "Please consider yourself family. Yes, literally, we are family, but think of me as an uncle or older brother."

Alice dashes off and Esme insists I stay for dinner in which I oblige. I could get used to this.

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**Shout out to the gals on the Twilighted forum: Chelle, Bob, Starla, Emma, Kris, Lorilei, Babette, Cahawbalily.**

**I've never written a romantic or kissing scene before so I hope I did okay here. Also, don't worry; these two will continue to make-out a lot more in the future. Please join me on Twitter and the LoGE Twilighted thread (links on profile).  
**

**Polyvore collage & Edward's shopping booty for this chapter is linked on my profile (it will at least give you a sense of what they bought).**

**Please review!! Reviews get you kisses like this from Ghostward, or shall I now say, Humanward, nah. I still like calling him Ghostward. I can't believe I'm over 150 reviews. Woo hoo! That's not too bad for a little known T-rated fic.**

**Story recs for this chapter:**

**Unto a Heart of Stone by Jackiejones**

**The Long Way Home by Eviekinz**

**The Prodigal Returns & Homecoming by Dontrun**

**God Love Her by Lynyrd lionheart  
**


	14. Halloween Party

**Some of you may have wondered why Garrett told Emmett that he needed to carry out this mission to rest in piece… ghosts are not above manipulation. Lol! **

**I know sororities aren't allowed to have parties with alcohol at their houses so just humor me here. **** This chapter is fluff with an orange slice. This one is dedicated to Emma and Kris who threw a party in the cabin.

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**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Fourteen—Halloween Party**

My life is going way too good now. My dream guy is finally human, Carlisle is now secure in his humanity and there are no more ghosts to hassle me. _Ahhh!_ Edward is also attending my sorority's annual Halloween fundraiser bash as my date. He's going to wear his soldier's uniform and I'm going to go as a Southern Belle. This is going to be so fun. _Hee!_ I just hope I can keep my hands off him that night since he looks _so_ good in uniform. The plan is to tell people (the ones who aren't in on his secret) that he's Carlisle's nephew who just moved from Knoxville (sort of true in a way) and that we met when I had an office appointment with Dr. Cullen and instantly hit it off. We will claim we bumped into each other as he was leaving his uncle's office and I was going in.

I don't know if it's coincidence, but Dr. Cullen has eased up on the homework. I guess less stress really does make a difference in a person. Regardless, his students are thankful and I'm no exception. Happy professor=happy students. _Yippee!_

I visit Mountain City Mercantile to buy a period dress and find a beautiful sea foam green hoop skirt outfit with a wide neckline that will work perfectly. I'll research a hairstyle from this era and have Alice help replicate it. I swear she's an encyclopedia of style.

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It is now the night of the party and Alice is dressed as a flapper in an off white fringed dress and headband with high heeled black maryjanes. She has her short hair done in pin-curls finishing off the look perfectly. Jasper is going to complement her in a zoot suit. I have no doubt he'll look totally hot in it. Rose wouldn't tell us what she and Emmett are going as and neither would Angela. Oh well. Half the fun of Halloween parties is being surprised at what everybody is wearing.

Alice begins to work on my hair with a curling iron. I warn her that my hair doesn't like to hold curl since it's so thick and heavy.

"Ali, I don't know why you're bothering. It's not going to hold."

"Have faith my child. Never doubt my prowess with anything fashion or beauty related," she says in a fake solemn voice and serious look on her face. I don't know what I'd ever do without her.

She proceeds to part my hair down the middle and do it in a half up style with my ringlets trailing down my back almost to my waist. She uses what appears to be industrial strength hairspray to preserve the curls. I'm actually amazed they've even lasted this long and we hear a knock on the door.

In the doorway stands a stunningly handsome Jasper complete with fedora, pin-stripes, and red tie. Alice will have to beat the sisters off with a stick.

"Hello ladies," he drawls sexily and tips his hat. _Drool._

"Alice, you might want to take a baseball bat with you because the girls are going to be falling all over Jazz," I chuckle while pretending to fan myself as if I'm about to pass out over his hotness and then I gasp.

Right behind him stands my dazzling soldier in all his uniformed hotness. Jasper must have picked him up before heading to our dorm. He's standing tall and regal wearing a gray woolen frock coat with gold buttons and dark trim, gray kepi, black boots and black trousers that hint at nice legs underneath. He's absolutely dashing. He might need to take a stick with him to keep me from trying to remove his divine uniform. I swear that uniform could function as Viagra. _Whew! I internally fan myself._ This is _my_ date!! Yippee! My inner goddess does a fist bump and high five.

"You look amazing," I utter out breathlessly, obviously ogling, and he looks back at me admiringly.

"Ma'am," he removes his hat and bows as he purrs in a seductive Southern accent. I'm going to pass out right now.

As I continue to just stare at him, he finally breaks me out of my reverie.

"Shall we?" He holds out his left arm for me and it feels so good to grasp onto him again. I snake my arm around his and we head to the sorority house in the cool night.

We approach the large white sorority house with ornate black railings a la New Orleans and hear music thumping loudly while people mill around on the porch and lawn socializing. We walk into the foyer and are greeted by Angela as Catwoman and beside her Ben as Batman. She's all sexy in a shiny black fake leather cat suit topped off with black ears and is channeling her inner Michelle Pfeiffer. She even traded her signature glasses for contacts tonight.

"Whoa! Ang! You look smokin'," I blurt and admire her confidence at wearing such an outfit. You must have an amazing body to pull this off and she certainly does.

She rolls her eyes, sighs and exasperatedly says, "Ben won't stop saying 'Here, kitty kitty.' I may have to claw his vocals cords out before the night is through. I've also been meowed at by a few drunken frat boys."

Ben quietly purrs in her ear while standing behind her. Then her eyes go wide as she registers who is standing beside me.

"Angela, I'd like you to meet Edward. Edward, this is Angela and her boyfriend Ben; Angela and Ben, this is Edward."

"Uh, nnnice to meet you Edward," she manages to mutter out as they shake hands.

"Likewise, ma'am."

He's lays it on thick like molasses. I hope there is someone here who knows CPR because I may need it before the night is done. He and Ben shake hands and exchange pleasantries. I didn't want to introduce him as my boyfriend since none of my friends out of my inner circle have met him and it would be weird to all of a sudden have this boyfriend when no one even knew you were dating somebody in the first place. We've also not officially declared our status which makes me a bit cautious.

"Have you seen Alice? She and Jasper should have gotten here a little bit before us."

"Yeah, they're back in the informal living room busting it out on the dance floor," she says with a giggle and points her black gloved finger towards the back of the house.

"I can't believe you used to live here," a velvet voice quietly mutters.

"Me neither," I chuckle out. "It's normally not quite so raucous, but living in a house with zillion girls sure can make things interesting and infuriating. Needless to say, there is a reason Alice and I live in the dorms this year. It's too much girly drama basically. It's also nice to get away and have a healthy distance from the girls. I love most of them, but too much of a good thing can grate on your nerves."

I sense that he's a bit tense so I head to where the bar is set up for the night. I know he's physically only 20, but he's been around over a century and deserves a drink.

"What would you like to drink?" I ask with my brows lifted in a questioning expression.

"Um, I don't know." He looks so cute and confused.

"Okay, don't sweat it. I'll order you a beer. I think all guys like beer although I can't stand it."

I stride to the bar and request a beer and appletini from the bartender. I laugh internally as I watch him make the green drink and a smile breaks across my face.

"What's that smile for?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just remembered something." Then the barkeep relinquishes the beer bottle.

"Here is your beer, sir." I hand over the dark brown bottle. "Let's toast to being alive and free!"

"To being alive and free," he agrees and we clink bottle to martini glass.

"Let's hunt down Jasper, Ali, Em and Rose."

I figure that he will be more comfortable with people he already knows. First and foremost, I want him to enjoy himself and let loose for once. He's been doomed for almost a century and a half and needs a wild night out. I want him to feel like the collage-aged boy he is.

We approach the dance floor and espy Alice and Emmett busting moves like something off of _Dancing with the Stars_. Those two always make it a point to dance together at parties. Since she's so little and he's so big, he loves to toss her around. Rosalie usually uses that time to take a bathroom break or laugh from the sidelines.

Edward's light green eyes are alight taking in the dancers, music and wild, colorful lights. We slurp down our drinks and make our way to the floor. Thankfully the DJ starts a slow song since I doubt he'd know how to dance modernly to a fast one.

I coo sultrily and hold my hand out, "Can I have this dance soldier?" He places his hand in mine and we saunter to the hardwood dance floor.

_Ah. _This is heaven. I close my eyes, lay my head on his chest and breathe him in. I could do this every day and not get bored. Too soon, the song ends and we make our way to our four friends, but not before giving him a firm hug.

"Dude! It's great to see you again," Emmett bellows and slaps Edward on the back. "Man, just don't let Lauren or Jessica see you. They've been on the prowl all night."

"Lauren? Jessica? Who are they?" He asks and lifts an auburn brow.

Rose answers his question. "They're two of our sisters who are notorious man eaters. Jessica is a skank mouse and Lauren is a Playboy bunny tonight. It's not too far off from their non-Halloween attire. I think they're the only ones here dressed like that so you should be able to run before they have a chance to accost you as long as you are vigilant." She throws her head back and laughs.

She's dressed as a sexy vampire with large bat wings, black high heel boots, and fishnet stockings, and Emmett is her counterpart as Dracula. He even put on fangs, and not the cheap plastic kind. He's hardcore about playing dress up. He truly is a little boy in a big man's body and that's one of the reasons we all love him. Em is one of a kind.

We dance to a few more slow songs and I take turns with Jazz and Em on the faster ones as Edward chats with Rose and Alice at the tables. The six of us then decide to hang on the back porch where it's quieter and we catch up easier.

We talk about nothing and everything. We hear how Rose and Em's wedding plans are going (they are getting married in June not long after they graduate—thankfully they will be staying in the area since Em's family is here and Rose prefers to distance herself a little from her socialite mom and grandmother), what Edward plans to do next, Alice's latest design project, and my applying to grad school. I chatter about on being nervous about taking the GRE and writing my application essay. I then look into his light green eyes and excuse myself to get another appletini for me and a beer for Edward. He seemed to enjoy the first one after all and seems to be handling it well.

When I head back with our drinks, I find poor Edward sandwiched between Lauren and Jessica. _Ugh!_ I'm going to need therapy after this. Where did the others go? They don't notice me walk up and I hear them cooing to my date and they are noticeably trashed.

"You're hot. Where are you from? Come here often?" Jessica cackles at her own lame come-on and slurs as she rubs against his arm in a way that is supposed to be seductive, but just looks stupid.

"Ladies, I'm here with Bella. Please excuse me." He tries to extricate himself, but is unsuccessful. I can tell from his neck that he is blushing furiously.

Jessica's roomie and partner in crime is shimmying against his chest and blubbers out, "Have you ever been with two girls at once? I bet you have, you hot thing. We've got a room upstairs. If you don't want two at once, we can just take turns. I bet blah Bella isn't as adventurous as us. We could rock your world soldier. We support the troops. Do you want to play with my cotton-tail?"

I have to stop this now before I vomit. It's gone too far.

"Excuse me Skank One and Skank Two, but we're heading to the dance floor." I take poor Edward's hand with confidence and stride out with my shoulders squared and my head held high.

"A lady has never talked to me like that. Is that how they are now? You, Alice and Rose aren't that way," he huffs. "I'm never going to fit in this world." He wipes his brow and massages his left temple.

"First off, those two aren't ladies and second most girls aren't as bad as they are, but some can get pretty aggressive when stalking out their prey. The girls I'm close to aren't like that. Don't worry. You'll also get to know Angela a.k.a. Catwoman. She's another good friend and she's with Ben. Even if she did have the hots for you, she would be a lady about it." I can't help but snigger at the craziness of our situation. Of course women are helpless against this beautiful boy. I can't blame them.

We pace to the kitchen where Emmett is doing a keg stand and a crowd that includes Alice, Jasper and Rose are cheering him on. I can't believe they left Edward to fend for his lonesome to do a keg stand. _Grrr!_

"Go Emmett! Go Emmett! Go Emmett!" they cheer.

"How could y'all leave him alone?" My Southern accent is more pronounced when I'm angry. "I had to all but surgically remove crusty Lauren and nasty Jessica from his body."

Alice pipes up, "We weren't going to be gone long. Rose went to get another beer and people were doing keg stands. Before I knew it, Emmett was waiting his turn and we followed. Sorry." She's seriously pouting and I can't help but forgive her. She's the queen of puppy dog eyes.

"Woo hoo!" Emmett yells out and Rose giggles. This pair has apparently had too much to drink. "I'm king of the world! Woooo!"

Rose grabs the King of the World to mingle on the front lawn and we trail their drunken butts. We bump into Angela and Ben and he's visibly buzzed and has had a little too much sauce. Ben's not normally a drinker so it wouldn't take much to get to him.

"Here kitty kitty. Baby, you're so freakin' hot. You need to wear this every day. Meow!" He continues miscellaneous animal and cat sounds while nibbling on her ear.

He's kissing up and down her neck and his arms are around her waist running up and down her back. She tries to humor him with a smirk on her face.

"Ben, sweetie, I may need to cut you off." She giggles at him, but doesn't seem to mind him smooching on her too much. Those two are pretty affectionate even without the beer.

Jasper and Alice are cuddled up on the porch atop a chaise cooing and displaying some light PDA at the same time as Rose and Em go back inside to get their boogie on. I look around and Jessica and Lauren are nowhere to be seen so I excuse myself to take a potty break. Using the bathroom in this getup will be quite a challenge.

"Don't move. I'll be right back. If the skanks come back, just go and talk to Ali and Jazz or Ben and Ang."

"Don't worry, my lady. I'm sure I'll be fine," he responds and smiles crookedly. _Swoon!_

I lightly kiss him on the lips and it catches him by surprise. I wave and giggle as I amble to the bathroom. I assume he's not used to public smooching. I'm sure it wasn't done in his day.

_Arggghh!_ Do these skanks have radar for when a guy is left alone? Once again, he's been victimized by skank central. I see red now. As I approach, I see Lauren grab his crotch! That's way over the line, even for them. They put the _S_ in slut.

"You're packing some heavy artillery soldier," Lauren drunkenly murmurs.

"Back off! Leave him alone. He doesn't want herpes."

I look around and notice Ben, Ang, Alice and Jasper are nowhere in sight. Am I going to have to hire bodyguards for this poor guy? _Sheesh! _He's a female magnet, not that I can blame anyone, but, geez, don't molest the poor guy.

"Oh come on, Bella. Let the boy have some fun. Let him get some action from two of the hottest girls in school." Lauren then tosses her long blonde hair behind her shoulders.

"You're terrifying him, not turning him on. If you both had more than two brain cells, you'd figure it out. Come on, Edward. Let's get out of here. I just want to say bye to a few people."

"Alice and Jazz left soon after you went to the restroom. Ben and Angela also left. Sorry." His face is contrite and shrugs his shoulders.

"Okay, let's just get out of here. I'll apologize to Rose and Em later for ditching without saying bye." I'm just glad to get away from the madhouse.

We walk back to my dorm with me tucked under his arm for warmth. I open the door and to my surprise it's empty. _Hmm?_ Where did Alice and Jasper go? They're probably making out or doing _whatever_ back in his room. I don't really need to think about that. It's a visual I can live without.

With that thought, I'm all of a sudden nervous. I'm here alone with the hottest guy on the planet who is wearing a military uniform. I'm also a little warm from the appletinis. This is dangerous. _Oh so dangerous._

Edward looks uncomfortable. In his day, a gentleman would never go to a lady's room alone and when he was here earlier, Ali and Jazz were additionally present. Then something else registers in his eyes. He looks to my eyes, to my lips, to my chest. My skin heats and turns pink. He slowly stalks towards me and he looks enormously feral. Is it getting hot in here?

His fingers lightly trace a trail of fire from my exposed shoulder, my collarbone, and up my neck. He pushes his hand up through my curls and grabs a fist full of dark locks and takes possession of my mouth.

_Mmmm…_ we groan as we touch lips. Lips brush, suck and lick as we press our bodies tight together. One hand makes work of rubbing up and down his firm chest, and the other is lodged in his mop of auburn. I almost pass out as he licks down my neck, back up, and then kisses and nibbles my ears. _Mmmm…_ If I could purr, I would _so_ be doing that right now as I feel his hot breath behind my ear and his arm tightens around my torso.

I frantically slide his coat off and start unbuttoning his shirt. He seems to have been brought back to reality at my bold move.

"You probably shouldn't do that," his mouth says, but his eyes contradict his words as I slide his shirt off revealing a well defined chest. He makes no move to stop me and I'm ablaze with a mission.

My nails run up and down and he moans, especially when the tips linger at his waistband. I start placing wet kisses all across his chest, licking. I even take a moment to bite his nipple and he yelps out. Where is this coming from? I'm the prim and proper girl, not some sex kitten. This is going to get out of hand fast. I am aware of the proverbial angel and devil on each shoulder—shoulders that he is now sucking on. _Kill me now!_

He kicks off his boots, scoops me up and lays me on my bed. We kiss and taste each other's neck, jaws and ears and I graze my nails down his back making him break out in goose bumps. My fingertips slip just inside the waist of his pants teasing his lower back.

He growls at me, "You're playing with fire. I might not be able to stop, woman. You're driving me insane."

A hum is all I can offer in response. He ghosts his hands down the sides of my breasts and I push my chest into his. He takes that as an invitation and his thumbs now gently caress the sides of each one. In a flash, I turn us over so I'm on top and flash him a lust filled grin and get to work nibbling his neck and chest all the while running my nails up and down his exposed skin with a trail of soft kisses. I make my way to his belly button and lick in, out and around the dip and blow hot breath over it. He moans once more. I hesitantly unbutton the top button of his trousers and kiss a little lower, unable to control myself. This is the promised land.

"Bella, love, we've got to stop before we go too far. If you keep kissing me like that, I can't be responsible for my actions," he whispers out and I feel him growing beneath me.

"But I want you so bad," I whine. "I want to absorb every square inch of you. Taste _every_ square inch," I hum into his abdomen.

He finally scoops me up, cradling me to his chest and I can't help but notice his eyes fixed on my breasts that are now being smushed up and out barely being contained by my corset and dress. His fingertips travel from my lips to my chest and stroke the tops of my breasts of their own volition while lingering. Stick a fork in me. I'm done.

"We need to get a hold of ourselves. We can't do this—not right now. It's how I was raised," he breathes out.

I grumble, resigned, knowing that he's right. I would regret rushing into something so important.

"Will you stay the night, though? Please? We'll just cuddle. I want to fall asleep and wakeup in your arms," I plead.

"Okay, sweetheart, but can you change into something a bit less tempting?"

"Okay. I'll be right back."

I march to the bathroom, wash my face, brush my teeth and put on a ratty yet form-fitting tee and shorts.

"Is this okay?" I twirl and pirouette on my way to the bed. "What are you going to sleep in?"

"I'll just stay in my pants. They're comfortable. I'm used to wearing them" he says with irony and removes his socks. His hands rest behind his head; no one should look so hot and appetizing. This guy is my kryptonite.

I slide under my comforter, curl into his body, and rest my head upon his chest and listen to the steady beat of his heart. I drift off as our legs tangle together.

I whisper out, "I love you" without thinking and fall into the best sleep of my life.

*

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**AN: Check the Polyvore link (see profile) for the outfits for the party. I made Alice go as a flapper because the 1920s was around the time she was changed in canon & of course Em and Rose look great as vamps. **

**Do you think they are truly rid of ghosts? Please review and give me your theories. Also, don't forget to check the links on my profile. Please join the fun on the Twilighted thread.**

**Please review!! I lurve reviews. Can LoGE make it over 200? Reviews let you lick Ghostward's abdomen.  
**

**Story recommendations:**

**Waking Up by RiaMaria**


	15. Thanksgiving

**Big thanks to Starla who is now my official idea-bouncer/pre-reader for my little fic. She lives near where our beloved Green Eyes roams so she's perfect for this. You can thank her for the extra smoochy time for B & E.**

**One person asked why Ghostward didn't give Lauren and Jessica the smackdown for feeling him up. It's because the poor dude was freaked out. That would have never happened in his day and his mama raised him to not yell at a woman no matter how vile she may be. ;) **

**Thanks to all who review (I appreciate it more than you know). It's over 200 now!! Woo hoo! Of course, I don't own these folks, but just the plot. Thanks to Stephenie Meyer for most of these characters. Character Emma owns herself.**

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The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter Fifteen--Thanksgiving**

I lay in my bed groggy from sleep and I try to roll over. _Bump._ What was that? I'm met with a warm object. Dad's orange tabby cat Embry likes to sleep with me when I'm home visiting, but this is bigger. I open one eye. Then I open another. I start with a jolt and gasp. There is an amazingly hot guy with messy copper hair lying in bed with me. I'm actually cuddling in bed with Edward. As I move a little more, it all comes back to me: the party, the Appletinis, making out… _Hmmm… making out…_ I want to do more of that so I cuddle even closer and circle my arms and free leg around him, but not before sneaking a glance at Alice's bed to make sure it's empty. Instinctively, masculine arms tighten around me, and I take advantage.

I tighten my leg around his hip and run my hands up the front of his tee. My fingers slowly make their way up his neck and into that glorious hair.

"Someone's a little frisky this morning," his deep voice responds and I feel the vibration in his chest.

"Uh, huh," I hum out.

His hands start roaming up and down my back holding me firm. He's strong. His lips lightly touch mine and for a moment I'm concerned about morning breath, but brush off the thought since he'd have dragon breath too. If he doesn't mind, I don't mind. We continue absorbing each other with out mouths, tangled limbs and then our tongues join in the dance. I swear that this will never get old.

_Mmmm…_ He's gently sucking and kissing on my neck and I run my fingernails up and down the back of his head as he moans in response. I feel a little payback is in order so take the opportunity to nibble upon his delicious stubble just below his jaw. Involuntarily, I lick that magnificent jaw line. He tastes absolutely divine. He's going to think I have some weird jaw fetish.

We make out like this for another hour before nodding back off.

* * *

The real world finally beckons after the post-party bliss, and Edward is studying for his GED as I go back to classes and my part-time job. It's early November and the crisp fall air makes me giddy. Actually, everything makes me giddy right now due to a certain hot former ghost. I've already implanted the thought of Edward in my dad's head. I told him, not long after Halloween, that I started seeing the nephew of one of my professors. Of course, he was a bit wary, but I assured him that Edward is a stand-up guy. I dated in high school and up to this point in college, but nothing serious ever came of it which relieved Charlie. I wound up going to prom with a guy friend since I had just gotten dumped by my ex-boyfriend/loser because I wouldn't put-out._ Turd._

Thanksgiving is also fast approaching and we have been invited by Carlisle and Esme to join them. Charlie's best friend Billy is taking his 16 year-old son, Jake, and is heading to Washington state for the holiday and I cajoled dad into attending Carlisle's dinner which Edward will be at. Rose and Alice (plus boyfriends) are heading back to Nashville to be with their families for the holiday break.

Thanksgiving is usually my dad, Billy, Jake and me. It was actually nice to have an intimate gathering. There was no pressure. Jake and I would normally watch the parade as poor dad and Billy would put together dinner. Thankfully, my dad had paid attention to when my mom, Renee, made the annual feast in the past. Jake and Billy were our extended family and loved them as much as you can love a blood relation. Jake was the little bro I never had and Billy was basically my uncle since my mom and dad were both only children. My eyes mist up a little at the thought of not seeing them during the holiday. This leads into thinking about my mom.

"Why are you sniffling?" my almost sorority sister Emma asks as we put together care packages for a homeless shelter we do our philanthropy work with.

"I'm just thinking about my mom and all."

"Ah. I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"No. I appreciate it, but the holidays just remind me of her passing," I say as I sniff a little more. Emma is one of our new members, a freshman, and a really sweet girl. She got Angela as her big sis. Ang is awesome, so she's lucky. We have initiation the first week of December so she'll be an official sister within a week.

We continue to work in a comfortable silence as we put these packages together. She never feels the need to fill the air with mindless babble. She and Angela are a perfect Big Sis/Lil Sis pair which makes her very compatible with me.

* * *

Thanksgiving is finally here. The big _Dad and Boyfriend Meet_ is about to happen. _Dun, dun, dah-dun!_ I hope I survive this. Poor Edward has been nervous even though I assured him that my dad is a nice guy (I left out the fact that he still carries his gun when he's off duty) and is happy to see his daughter happy. I gave dad the normal story of us meeting when he was walking out of Dr. Cullen's office as I was coming for an appointment. It scored Edward points with dad that he's the family of one of my professors. That basically means that he figures that if he's related to an academic, he'll be less likely to knock me up and have me drop out of college. The thought makes me laugh out loud. Even on the far off chance of me getting 'knocked up' did happen, I would still finish school. Nothing could stop me from that. An education is invaluable. Mom, an elementary school teacher, and dad ingrained that in my head from the beginning. Mom and Dad met in college and she was an elementary education major to his criminal justice one. He always had hopes of joining the FBI or GBI, but once they had me (almost a year after they married), they just wanted a quiet, small town life. They tried to have more babies, but that was wasn't in the cards for them.

Charlie and I drive up to Carlisle's immaculate white Cape Cod mansion (there's no better word for it) in my red Tahoe.

"Whoa, Bells. You didn't tell me he was related to royalty."

"Har, har, dad. I guess Dr. Cullen has been good with his money all these years." I neglect to explain how _many_ years Dr. Cullen has been around. You can save a lot of money in 150 years or so. My dad doesn't need to know about that. The less he knows the better. He'd think I'm insane otherwise.

"I think his wife may come from an influential background," I add. I grabbed that comment out of my butt. I dunno where it came from. I have no clue as to Esme's background. The remark seemed right at the time. I nervously twirl my fingers around my straight, chestnut hair as we prepare to exit the vehicle. I hate lying—especially to my dad. _Ugh._

We walk up the porch with a pumpkin pie in my hand and a bottle of Riesling in my dad's hand and knock. Yes, once I became of age, I educated myself on wines. I read somewhere that turkey is supposed to be good with Riesling. If you are going to have wine, you might as well figure out what food goes well with it.

A very pregnant Esme answers the door. I swear that poor woman is about to pop. I don't blame her for wanting her tubes tied after birth. I silently pray for singular births once it's my turn. _Do former ghosts have sperm? Carlisle did. Hmm…_ My mind once again trails off to a naughty place. _His sperm and my eggs… Hmm… I bet he'd make pretty babies…_

I'm nudged out of my reverie by Charlie walking through the Cullens' threshold where Carlisle and Edward stand waiting in the living room as Tanya bounces, strawberry curls aflutter, in the background watching the Macy's parade.

"Hey! Dr. Cullen. This is my dad, Charlie. This is my history professor I told you about and you've already met his wife Esme."

They exchange manly handshakes and Charlie nods to Esme.

Here goes nothing.

"This is Edward. This is Dr. C's nephew, Edward Cullen." It feels weird to refer to my professor by first name in front of my dad so I stick to 'Dr. C.' From the look in Carlisle's eye, I can tell that he gets it. I assume they both understand my flub at giving Edward the Cullen surname. It was a pure slip of the tongue on my part, but Edward doesn't seem to mind being counted as a Cullen. If I had to guess, he's just happy to be part of a real family now.

"Please, make yourself at home," Esme adds, swooping her arm wide, as we stride toward the top of the line kitchen. "The turkey is pretty much done and everything else is ready and just waiting to be eaten. Let me take those." Esme frees our arms and places the pie and wine in the refrigerator. I catch Charlie gaping at the massive Wolf range with a grill top. I think all men have some sort of a love affair with grills—a grill fixation.

"Can we help you do something? Set the table? Make drinks?" I want to be useful, true, but I'm also afraid of standing around twiddling my thumbs while Charlie stares at Edward. Esme agrees to let us set the table and pour water, iced tea and wine, but not before Carlisle walks in, Edward trailing, and starts chatting up Charlie. _Bummer. _My distraction plan almost worked. Poor Edward looks extremely nervous and we give each other sympathetic looks. I can't handle it anymore so I dart off to set the table. Yes, I'm a wimp. Shortly after that, Tanya bounds into the dining room to help me set things up.

"Everybody, diner is ready!" Esme announces and everyone shuffles in. I tentatively sit down before Edward and Charlie; I figure that they can choose to sit wherever they would like.

"Charlie! Sit beside me, please!" Tanya croons, batting her eyelashes at my dad. Not giving him any choice, she grabs his hand and leads him to the other side of the table which leaves the space next to me free for Edward. Carlisle and Esme take each end of the table. I want to hug Tanya for doing this although she's totally unaware and just wants attention from the new person. I might have to buy her a new book or something. What are ten year olds into?

Everyone settles and Carlisle clears his throat. "Let's pray and give thanks." He smiles and nods.

"Dear Lord, we thank you for the many blessings you have provided this year. Most importantly we thank You for family. We say thanks for the new additions that have come our way… the twins who will be here soon and Edward. We also thank you for giving us life and let us never take it for granted. In your Son's name we pray. Amen."

Amens are murmured around the table.

There's so much loaded meaning in his prayer, but thankfully Charlie is none the wiser and we all dig into our mashed potatoes, green beans, turkey and cranberry sauce. Esme truly is a magician in the kitchen. I can hold my own in the culinary department, but her feast is beyond all expectations. This is definitely a step up from our usual Thanksgiving provisions.

Through most of the dinner, Tanya is regaling Charlie with stories of school, the boys particularly, dance class and her new baby sisters. She already has epic plans for them.

"Mr. Charlie, I'm going to teach them how to ride bikes, swim, play soccer, dance…" I don't think she takes a breath throughout all of this and she continues to play out all the activities Irina and Katrina will have lined up.

My dad, humoring her, adds, "Sweetheart, they won't be able to do those things for quite some time. When they first come home they're mostly just going to eat, sleep, poop and cry. That's all Bells did when we got her home." He smirks at me and I stick my tongue out at him.

"Surely, I did more than that." I fake pout.

Dad takes this opportunity to make me the butt of the jokes for the day.

"I have to tell you all about one time when she was just over a year old and she woke up in the middle of the night wailing her head off. Renee and I couldn't figure out what was wrong since she was normally a good sleeper. We rocked her, fed her, cuddled her, and then finally, in our sleep-deprived state, we sniffed her. She was wearing those footed pink pajamas and we didn't think to check her diaper. As it turns out, she had diarrhea and it flooded almost the entire inside of her night clothes. Oh man. I swear I've never smelled anything that rank before or after that." Everyone but me is howling with laughter and Edward has tears spilling out of his eyes at this humiliation. I stay quiet, giving my dad the stink eye in an attempt to not go postal on him.

"We peeled her out of the PJs, sat her in the tub and basically hosed her off and threw away the pajamas. Thankfully, that was the only time that happened. I don't know if I could have handled going through that again. I'm on the police force and have seen some crappy, ahem, things, but that was the worst," he continues to cackle mercilessly.

"Okay, is everyone done laughing at my expense? Maybe I should tell of the time dad threw up on Georgia Governor's shoes on local TV when he was being given the Medal of Excellence in Law Enforcement award." I raise my eyebrow, daring him to continue the humiliation of his dear daughter. "What was really sweet was that one of his co-workers happened to tape the news that night and sent out a special copy to everyone in the office to make sure they saw the lovely moment too. His nickname at the station has been Up-Chuck ever since."

Charlie coughs and wheezes. "Okay. Maybe we should be done with this conversation. It can't be helping anyone's appetite."

After that, we head into polite conversation and I think I'm in the clear.

"So, Edward, Bella tells me you two met at Carlisle's office."

I tense and wait to see what happens. I hope no one has forgotten how to play this off.

"Yes sir. I was visiting my uncle and Bella had an appointment with him. Carlisle introduced us and the rest, as they say, is history."

"What are your plans? Are you in college now? Do you have a job?"

_Great._ He's going into interrogation mode.

"Uh, my plans are to attend UTC as soon as I can get all of my, uh, paperwork in order. I'm not currently working anywhere since I just moved to town."

"Why did you move here if you're not starting college right away?"

Carlisle gratefully interjects. "His parents passed away and he got a bit lonely by himself so I invited him to live with us." It's not totally a lie. His parents, by now, are dead after living a nice long life and he _was_ lonely by himself.

"Were you in school up in Knoxville? What did you do with yourself?"

Oh, geeze, dad. Please stop asking so many questions.

Edward looks slightly panicked and takes a second or two to come up with a reasonable explanation for the holes in his past. I know he doesn't want to lie and I see the wheels turn in his head.

Edward hesitates, but starts up. "I did a lot of volunteer work. Most of my time was spent in an area military park, er, schooling students about the history of the war and park. I would like to follow my uncle's career path and be a history professor. I took some time off after high school to figure out what I want to do." Sadly, his time in the park was actually involuntary and I was the only student he discussed the war with. Saying he took time off from school is an understatement. He took about 150 years off.

I need to steer the convo away from Edward, stat.

"Esme, are you going to have a c-section? Do you think the girls will come early? Twins usually do, don't they?"

From there, the conversations go to the twins, Tanya's favorite Barbie doll, Carlisle's schedule for next semester and the oddest calls that come in the police station. Later, we dig into pumpkin pie, coffee and I can tell Charlie is ready to leave, but I can't go without getting a kiss from Edward. We've already made plans to spend Black Friday a.k.a. one of Alice's favorite days of the year together avoiding the mall, but I need something to hold me over. I really don't want to do this in front of Charlie.

"Edward, I want to see the backyard. You said it has an amazing view of the river."

"Okay. Sure." He looks a little confused since we've never talked about any of that.

We step onto the wrap-around porch, holding hands, and I drag him to the corner farthest away from where everyone is gathered. I then push him up against the house, wrap my arms around his neck and whisper.

"I didn't want to kiss you in front of Charlie and I think he wants to leave soon. I can't leave without my kiss," I coo and smirk up at him. His arms tighten around my waist and he offers a smile in return.

"We can't have that now, can we?"

"No. Not at all," I sigh, millimeters from his lips.

The kiss is soft and unhurried. I taste coffee in his breath. I never understood why some guys think a girl wants him to smash his mouth against her lips and stick his tongue down her throat. Thankfully, Edward is not one of those. This is the kind of kiss you want to never end and leaves you wanting for more. I could kiss this man all day long. Maybe that's what we'll do while avoiding stores tomorrow? _Mmmm…_ Good idea.

Our tongues gently caress one another, savoring and his mouth moves to nip on my earlobe and neck. I feel my bones soften into mush and I melt even further into him. Every thing is blissful until I hear a masculine throat cough.

"Nice view of the river, you two," Charlie snorts out. We both turn pink and extricate ourselves from each other's arms.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I offer softly, looking up through my lashes.

"Can't wait," he murmurs in return with longing in his green eyes and gives me a sweet kiss on the cheek.

After also bidding good-bye to the Cullens, dad and I drive back home across the state line. Thankfully, a full stomach normally equals a quiet and sleepy Charlie. He doses most of the way home.

_My bed is so warm and comfy. I burrow in further, curling around my fluffy pillow. I then sense the presence of another person in the room with me. No one else is in here. Ah. I love this pillow. It's the bestest pillow in the world. Before burrowing more, I take a quick glance around the moonlit room and struggle for breath. Looking back at me from beside my desk is me, but in a hoop skirt. And I'm looking at my bed-self with utter contempt. Freakiest. Dream. Ever._

"_Don't worry. I was startled when I first saw you too. It does seem that our dear Edward has a certain type, don't you think?"_

"_Irene Marie?" I breathlessly mutter. Can you pass out in your own dream? I think I'm about to. _

"_So you do know about me. I'm probably not what you were expecting, huh? I guess dear Eddie goes for the little brunettes. Anyway, I'm not here to chat about what Eddie looks for in a woman, but to tell you to leave him alone. If I couldn't have him, then neither can you. If you don't leave him alone, then you will not like the consequences. Your dad seems like such a sweet, caring father. I would hate for anything bad to happen to him or your precious Eddie. Here's a little souvenir so you know I'm serious."_

_In a flash, she grabs my arm and takes the fingernail of her right index finger and slices a small half-inch gash on my left forearm. I sit helplessly as I start to bleed._

"_Don't test me little girl." With that, she laughs and vanishes into thin air._

As I wake with a start, I'm covered in sweat as I recall the most jarring dream I've ever had. It felt so real. Was it real? No way. It can't be. I must just be paranoid. But it felt so _real_. Trying to reassure myself that it's nothing, I look down at my forearm and go numb.

* * *

**A/N: What are some of the freakiest dreams you've had?**

**For non Americans, the GED is an equivalency test for a high school diploma so Edward can start college. He did finish high school back in his day, but he needs this to go to college in the current time since he wouldn't have a transcript.**

**There's a cool Facebook group for Green Eyes (not my GE obviously) here: **

**www . facebook . com/#!/pages/Chickamauga-GA/Green-Eyes-The-Ghost-of-Chickamauga-Battlefield/10150137297915512 **

**(All the ghosts in my story are based on 'real' ghosts in the area such as the Lady in White who I made into Victoria. Carlisle and Garrett are the only extra ones I added, but there are many who purportedly roam the Battlefield so any one of them could fit the bill of my character ghosts. All the haunted locales here are ones that have had reported hauntings or unexplained happenings.)**

**Recs for this week: **

"**Hide in Plain Sight" by FangMom (it's on FFn).**

"**Empty" by Hev99 (I beta this one—also on FFn)**

"**The Girlfriend Experience" by Wolvesrmyhomeboys and btvsna (on Twilighted)**

**I apologize for this epically long author's note. **


	16. Unwelcome Visits

**AN:**

**So sorry it's been forever since I've updated. I hope I haven't lost too many readers, but RL has been crazy this summer. The Irene part of the story won't drag out for too much longer and then it will go into a more humorous direction. **

**Big fat thanks to those who have added me to your alerts and lists. I appreciate it so much! Also thanks to EBalways for the rec.**

**As always, I own the plot, but SM owns the characters (Sara Gruen owns Jacob Jankowski) and I make no moolah off of this little venture. Also, big thanks to my idea bouncer/sounding board Starla. I'd also love to welcome aboard my new official beta, PrincessKris! Whoo! She's the writer's block whisperer. **

**PS: How awesome was it that Rob filmed part of Water for Elephants in Chickamauga (where half the park is located) and Chattanooga? Maybe he got to meet the real Green Eyes? Hee! Rumor is that he stayed in the haunted Read House while in town. I'll put some links about the Read House's haunted history at the end.**

* * *

_Previously in the LoGE saga:_

_Bella and Charlie attended Thanksgiving dinner with Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Tanya. Later that night, Bella received a not so friendly visit from Irene and left her with a nice little scar on her arm._

Chapter 16—Unwelcome Visits

The next week was odd. IM, which is what I've started referring to Irene Marie as, hasn't reappeared, but I still need to tell Edward about her visit. He deserves to know, but what good could come of it? It will just worry him. I haven't been outright avoiding him, but I have laid off a little bit just in case. I used the excuse of the pending end of the semester and finals as my reason to stay away from him. I can't stay away from him for good though. That's just out of the question. Impossible. I can't do what she wants and I shouldn't have to do what she wants either. This is my life. This is Edward's life. Screw her. I'm doing this my way. I've dealt with psycho ghosts before. She won't be the first.

On the good news front, and to my shock, Alice and Jasper got engaged over the Thanksgiving break. I guess when you know, you know. I jokingly asked if she's pregnant and I nearly lost my life. She's already asked me to be her maid of honor and Rose and Angela are going to be bridesmaids while her little sister, Cynthia, is the flower girl. In traditional Southern fashion, Jasper's dad will serve as best man with his twin cousins, Peter and Jackson, will be groomsmen. He said he wanted to give her an early Christmas present, so right after dinner he presented her with a small jewelry box. She expected an engagement ring due to the size of the box, but in order to throw her off, he had earrings made from the green quartz that we had stolen from the mine and gave them to her. She was one ticked off wet hen. She says she felt like a dummy for thinking he would propose so quickly and felt like a moron since they've only been together a few months, and she also claims she was able to hide her disappointment. I sincerely doubt that.

Then the next morning was Black Friday, which is Alice's favorite day of the year, he woke up early to catch her before she left for the mall with her mother. She trotted downstairs in her most comfortable shopping attire and he told her she needed something additional to wear and that her outfit lacked enough accessories. I still can't believe he had the nerve to critique her fashion sense, even if only for a moment. I'm actually amazed he didn't lose a finger. When she was about to go off on him, he led her to the living room and got on one knee, spewed some mushy stuff about how it was love at first sight and he knew right away he wanted her to be the mother of his children, blah, blah, blah. I kind of tuned her out when she went into all the gushy details. After wiping tears and snot away from her blubbering, he placed a lovely white gold and diamond solitaire on her left ring finger. It is round and about one and a half carats. He said the stone was originally in a setting of his late great-grandmother's. I think I need to take away his 'man card'.

Anyway, she's basically been planning her wedding since she was born and her mom immediately reserved their hometown church and the swanky Hermitage Hotel in Nashville for the reception. She also promises not to make us wear hideous bridesmaid dresses. They set the date for July 17 so it doesn't conflict with Rose and Em's nuptials in June. I guess that means I need to find a new roomie for my senior year since I assume they'll get an off-campus apartment to finish out their last year. I definitely don't feel like being housemates with newlyweds. Being married while still an undergrad sort of weirds me out as it is since the idea of marriage has always sort of weirded me out in any case. Two of my besties are getting married and they're my age. Shudder. Who's next? Angela and Ben? My parents were happily married and gave a good example of what it should be, but we're _so_ young. I'm not sure I'm ready for that. But if it were Edward asking, would it make a difference?

xxx

I only have one final left, Carlisle's history class, and I won't be able to brush Edward off any longer with my flimsy school excuse. I trudge up to Brock Hall, amidst the crisp fall air and the sound of fallen leaves scraping the concrete sidewalk under foot, to take said exam. I feel like I'm walking towards my execution and "Taps" plays in my head.

As I walk through the room's threshold and there sits Professor Hottie behind the desk at the head of the room looking a little stressed and paler than normal.

"What's wrong Dr. C.?"

"Esme's due to pop at any moment. Her water broke last night and she's in the perinatal unit, but the doctor is trying to hold her off as long as possible since she's a little early."

"Aren't twins usually early?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it any less stressful. Tanya was actually a week late so this is new territory for us. I'm jetting out of here the moment the last test gets turned in," he says with a weary sigh and furrow in his brow. With one last sympathetic glance at his troubled blue eyes, I make my way to my desk, Jasper trots in five minutes later and takes his seat next to mine.

I flash him a knowing smirk and mouth, "I'm grilling you later." He winks and nods as Carlisle hands the tests out.

I finish up the test first and wait for Jasper out in the hall. He exits about ten minutes after me, stopping me in the middle of a mad game of Tetris.

"Okay, dude, spill!" He helps me off the floor and grabs my bag.

"You don't waste time, do you? No, 'Hey, how was your weekend?' or anything like that?"

"I cut to the chase, buddy," I grin back at him and then put on a mock serious face as Hurricane Carlisle runs past us at Mach One, nearly knocking Jasper over.

"See ya, guys! Esme's getting an emergency C-section in an hour," he breathes out with a passing wave with one hand and his briefcase stuffed full of tests in the other. "I'll call and let you know how it goes." Then he's no more than a blonde blur running down the street towards his car.

"Mr. Whitlock. No more stalling. Spill it bucko. Alice is a pile of bridal goo and will probably morph into bridezilla before I know it. In honor of 'zilla, let's go to Coffee Crafters since that's where I introduced the two of you sorry saps. Who says I can't be sentimental?" I snort in a very unladylike manner and he rolls his eyes.

He regales me with the proposal story as we amble down Vine Street, but stop short at some sort of commotion at the intersection of Vine and Houston. There are an inordinate amount of young women yelling and screaming. What on Earth? I flash Jasper a concerned look; he shrugs and we try to make our way forward.

I tap some random redheaded girl with curly hair and freckles on the shoulder and ask, "What's going on here? Is something wrong?" I am imaging a host of bad scenarios like the aftermath of a mugging or car accident. Yeah. I'm an optimist like that.

"It's him! It's him!" I hear a female voice shriek.

"Him who?"

I finally gain the redhead's attention and she lets out in a huff, "It's _him_! It's Robert Jankowski!"

"The actor?" I ask dumbfounded.

She rolls her eyes at me impatiently, looking at me as if I'm an idiot, and blurts out, "_Yes_, the actor. Only _THE_ hottest guy in the universe. He's in town filming a movie, and he just left the coffee shop. He's here filming some period piece and is staying at the Read House." I stop cold, shivering.

"Isn't that place haunted?" Of course my mind immediately goes to ghosts as I sift through my mental list of haunted area landmarks with a sting of panic. It's an automatic reaction at this point in my life. "He'll probably want to switch hotels," I utter matter-of-fact.

"I don't know. Who cares? He's _hot_!" Redheaded Freckles precedes to ignore me and goes back to gushing over some guy in sunglasses getting into the back seat of a black Escalade. How weird. He looks a lot like Edward. The only noticeable difference, from where I'm standing, is that his hair is brown. They could be brothers or even twins! I've always heard that you have a twin out there somewhere. Anyhoo …..

Sigh. The semester is officially over. It's such a nice feeling of relief although it will start up all over again in a few weeks. I'm that much closer to graduation. Yea! I take a moment of peace on back on my bed, arms and legs lazily hanging off the sides. Heaven. Alas, heaven will have to wait because of course my phone is ringing.

"Hey, Edward! I just got back from school and after hearing Jasper's side of the proposal. I think I need a nap."

"You'll need to postpone your nap, sweetheart. Esme just had the twins who are now officially dubbed Irina and Katrina, though they're going to call her Kate. Come on over to the hospital and see them. They're squishy, pink and adorable. Tanya's a little over excited about her new role of big sister. It's just delightful. Esme just keeps muttering over and over that she's thrilled the doctor tied her tubes during the caesarian. It's some sort of surgery to permanently prevent babies by severing the fallopian tubes."

"I know what getting your 'tubes tied' means, Edward. She mentioned she was going to have it done before, when we talked about the birth." I chuckle at his lack of being up to date on medical procedures. "I'll meet you there in a few." Begrudgingly, I scrape myself up off the bed and grab my purse. I'm going to have to tell him about Irene's visit.

We oohed and ahhed over the twins. They are totally adorable. It's hard to say who they look like more. They both have Carlisle's blonde hair though. Esme looks remarkably amazing for someone who just gave birth twice over. I quiver. I can't imagine going through that. One day, when it's my turn, I have one word for you: epidural.

Edward and I walk back to my truck so I can give him a ride home. Carlisle had dropped him off at the hospital before going to class so Esme wouldn't be alone. Edward gets to take his driver's test in a few days and will then use Esme's car until she is allowed to drive again, but for now, he's at the mercy of others to chauffeur him around. It will be a few weeks before Esme can drive due to the c-section though.

I turn on the ignition and sigh. "Edward, there's something I need to tell you." I might as well stay in 'park' for this.

A look of horror spread across his face. "You're not breaking up with me, are you?"

"Oh, NO! It's nothing like that." I hold out my hands like I'm stopping traffic. "You're stuck with me, mister for as long as you want me." I give him a sly grin. "But I had a visitor a few nights back. It was actually Thanksgiving night when I went back to my dad's house." He looks confused, but wills me to go on. "At first I thought I was having a bad dream about Irene visiting me, but when I woke up, I had this scar." I promptly flash him my left forearm and he takes my arm in his hand and run his finger over the scar gently.

"I - I thought we were done with ghosts." He appears as if he's going to throw up at any moment. I can't blame him. I sort of feel the same way.

"She threatened me and told me to stay away from you. She said she would do something bad to my dad if I don't stay away. Nothing's happened yet, but I have no clue how to make her go away. Do you have any ideas? I want to be over and done with this crap. There's got to be an end to this somehow. This can't go on forever, can it?" I finally put the car in drive and head towards Carlisle's place.

"I feel like our lives aren't ours anymore. It seems that there's always some other controlling entity. I want to have normal stresses like money and failing my classes, not all this ghost drama we have going on here." I heave a hard puff of air out in frustration. "I'm just… I don't know what to do."

He takes my right hand and massages it gently as hot tears roll down my cheeks.

"Don't worry, Sweetheart. We'll figure this out somehow. We've come this far," he implores.

"Let's just go to Carlisle's and watch a movie. Maybe a mindless comedy to take out minds off this for awhile. Carlisle's staying at the hospital tonight, right?" I'm thinking that a low-key night in would be perfect and he seems to be on the same page.

"I don't know how to work that DVD contraption though." The poor guy looks so stressed at the thought of going head to head with this simple piece of machinery. After what he's gone through, it's funny he's on the verge of an anxiety attack because of a small black box. I can't help but laugh out loud.

"What's so funny? It's hard adjusting to this world—this era." He sounds so defeated. It's heartbreaking.

"Don't worry." I smirk. "I know how to work a DVD player and I'll show you what to do in case you want to watch a movie when I'm not around."

"I hate feeling helpless all of the time. _Argh._ Constantly playing catch-up to learn all these new things is wearing me out," he growls while pulling at his messy dark red hair.

"Don't worry. It's a marathon, not a sprint, baby. I promise I will be with you the whole way." I reach over again and weave my fingers in between his as we cross the Tennessee River.

xxx

"Carlisle has _The_ _Waterboy_! I never took him for a Sandler fan. This is one of my favorite movies. 'Foolsball is the debil!'" I fake a stern look at him and point my finger a la Kathy Bates as Mama and then launch into singing, "Water sucks. It really, really sucks." Edward is now looking at me like I've lost it and maybe I have? "Don't worry. You'll get it. It's an awesome movie."

I'm lying on top of Edward on the big fluffy couch and I hear him start to quietly snore. I love cuddling with him like this. It's my favorite place to be. I can curl into him and he's my own personal heater that warms me up on this cold December evening. I can't seem to even muster the motivation to get up and turn off the TV and the DVD is now over and back at the main menu, but I don't care and I begin to nod off.

"I thought I told you to stay away from him. Did you not understand me last time? Leave. Him. Alone. If you don't, you won't like what happens."

I must be dreaming because I've been transported back to my bedroom at my dad's house and Irene is standing right in front of me. I'm still wearing the same clothes as earlier. Puzzled, I gape in shock, but I finally work up the gumption to speak.

I whisper out as my voice is suddenly almost non-existent. "You can't run our lives."

"I see the fear on your face. You're not quite as bold as you would like to think are you, hmm? Stay away from him. And since it seems you have a problem forgetting things, I'll leave you with a little something to help remember me by."

I awake from the sound of my own screaming and tears have drenched Edward's shirt.

"Wh-wha-what happened, Bella?"

Edward rubs my back after sitting up and waits for me to catch my breath after a bout of hysterical crying and gasping.

"That must have been some nightmare, Sweetheart."

"It was her again," I squeak out and rub the back of my sleeved arm across my watery eyes and wet cheeks. At this point, I notice that my scar is tender and the fabric feels rough over the scab. When I look down, I'm on the verge of passing out. There's a small amount of blood seeping through the light blue cotton of my shirt. Edward's eyes follow mine and a shiver runs through his body as he rolls the arm of my shirt up to get a better view. The cut is fresh and bleeding and he runs off to the kitchen and returns with a towel, some band-aids and peroxide.

"She told me to stay away from you. She threatened me again and apparently thought I needed reminding." I try to calm myself by taking measured breaths like in a yoga or Pilates class. "I think I need to head back to the dorm. I don't want to leave, but we need to figure something out? I don't know what though. I could try to contact that Eric guy again. He's the one who drove us to the park the first time I saw you. He's a ghost expert. Maybe he knows of something we can do to get her to leave us alone? There's got to be a way out of this." We look at each other forlorn.

"Sweetheart, I can't go without seeing you. I was miserable when you said you were studying for finals and now knowing it was really _her_ fault you were away from me then and now, we are going to have to be apart again. Well… I feel like I want to pull my hair out. You don't understand how long I have waited for you."

"It's not permanent Edward, but she threatened Charlie the first time and I can't risk anything happening to him. He's my only family left. It will work out. We'll make it work. Rose knows how to get in touch with Eric. I'll call her first thing in the morning and get his contact information. You talk to Carlisle when he returns. Maybe he will have an idea of what to do," I say with as much hope I can collect in my face and voice. "We can still talk on the phone. You're getting better figuring out your cell, right?" My eyebrows rise, trying to convey optimism.

"I guess I don't have a choice, now do I?" He looks so distressed, so I crawl onto his lap and take him into my arms tightly.

"It's just temporary. We'll get this fixed as quickly as we can. She won't run our lives anymore. I promise." We're holding each other in a death grip and that sinking, lonely feeling mounts in my chest and gut as we remain clinging to each other for a good ten minutes just soaking in the feeling of each other.

"I guess I should go," I reluctantly murmur and he holds me tighter. We finally get up and head for the door, but not before stopping and clinging once again with my head in his chest.

"Kiss me before I leave and make it one that will last me awhile."

He looks at me with an intense light green gaze and cups my face in his gentle hands. "I love you." And before I can respond, his lips are upon my mouth and they work with mine, slow and relishing. We take time to absorb each other like sponges putting all out love and longing into this one kiss. He moves his warm lips to just below my jaw, sucking and nibbling, moving up and down my neck with his lips on one side and his gentle fingertips caressing the other side. I groan something that I'm sure is not English when his tongue traces the shell of my ear. This man will be the death of me; I'm sure. "I never want to be away from you," he utters with his warm breath against my neck. I can only grunt in response. "You have no idea how hard it is to be a gentleman right now," he digs his fingers into my scalp, making a point. His lips caress my left ear and he peppers me with soft, unhurried kisses across my cheeks, nose, forehead and eyelids before landing on my mouth again, taking his sweet time.

"I need to go before I tackle you here in the foyer," I chuckle, only half-joking.

"I might not be opposed to that." Curse that sexy grin of his.

"I love you," I whisper as I run my fingertips along his jaw, finally leaving. Once I'm in my truck, my sadness turns into righteous indignation. That heinous harpy _will not _get the last word.

When I get to my room, I'm so keyed up that I finish up packing up my half of the dorm room since we have to leave during winter break. And now that Alice is engaged to Jasper, I'm not sure what her plans are for next semester anyway. I might need to find a new place to live. Alice and Rose are heading back to Nashville this weekend to be with their families during the break, but Alice will crash with Jasper's family here during the weekends so they can still see each other. Rose and Em will stay in their respective sorority and fraternity houses when in town. So I am heading home to my dad's. It will be nice to be able to see Charlie more. The threats from Irene make me even more anxious to spend some quality time with him.

xxx

First thing the next morning, I call Rose in a rush.

"Hey Bells. What's up?"

"I need to get in touch with that guy Eric, the one who went ghost hunting with us awhile back."

"Are you already moving on from Edward?" she jokes.

"Ha-Ha, Miss Hale. No, I have another ghost issue and am in need of his expertise," I drawl out hesitantly.

"_What?_" She yells in the phone and I have to hold the receiver away from my ear and let it recover. "I thought you were done with that? Are those ghosts from the park back? Is Edward okay? Is it Dr. Cullen?"

"No. Dr. Cullen and Edward are fine. I have a different ghost to deal with now." I proceed to rehash Irene and the two nightmares/meetings I have had with her, including the scratch and threats against Charlie.

"That chick is psycho. Somebody has been holding onto a grudge for _way_ too long. Hold on. Let me get his info. His family is local so he should be in town over the break. I think he lives in the East Ridge area." I hear her rustle around and she produces the info. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do."

"Absolutely, chica."

Why am I so nervous about calling him? He'll probably think I'm a nut, but he's into the whole ghost thing so maybe not? He'll probably be excited about more ghost hunting, right?

"Hello," a deep male voice answers.

"Uh. Is this Eric? I got your info from Rosalie Hale."

"Yeah," he sounds confused. "Who is this?"

"This is Bella. I was in the group that went ghost hunting in the park earlier this semester. I'm the one that saw the ghost." I hope he remembers me.

"Oh! Okay. Yeah, I remember you. That was awesome. I wish I could have seen him. What's up?"

"Erm. I'm in need of your ghost expertise again. I'm having a ghost problem and need to try to get rid of her."

"Whoa, dude. What's happening?"

I have no choice but to launch in the whole long, drawn out tale of Edward being the ghost that I saw and is now human again and is my boyfriend but his ex-finance's ghost is haunting me and wants me to stay away from him. I don't mention Carlisle or the other ghosts that we have encountered or that Irene may be a long lost relative of mine. Carlisle doesn't need weird rumors floating around about him across campus and I am still not positive about my lineage even though Edward says we look a lot alike. We make plans to meet for lunch the next day at Mellow Mushroom at noon.

xxx

"Do you know of a way to get rid of her?" I ask Eric right before I dig into my calzone.

"I have a bunch of equipment and we can use to try to pry her out. So far she seems to appear whenever she wants. Of course, you've never actually wanted her to show up so I'm not exactly sure how we can summon her when we want her to show up. We could try a séance."

Chills run up and down my back and I tremble at the thought of seeing Irene again, let alone actually asking to see her. What if it angers her even more?

"Séance? Uh, I don't know if I'm comfortable with that."

"It's no different than when you've met with ghosts in the past, but this time we're asking her to come out and play, so to speak." I want to wipe the eager grin right off his face.

"If we have to do it, where would the best place be? I have to be out of the dorm in a few days and there are too many nosy people at the sorority house. The only place left would be my dad's house, but I don't really want to involve him if I can help it."

"But when she appeared to you originally when you were at your dad's home, right? And in the dream you were taken back there as well? That would probably be the best spot to try and summon her."

"I can't just kick my dad out of his own house and say what, 'Sorry, but you have to leave so we can summon the ghost of my boyfriends ex-finance who cursed him when he died over 100 years ago and is now jealous that I can have him and she can't' He'd have me committed. Even if he didn't think I was insane, I don't want to involve him. Maybe I can get him out of town for a weekend soon?"

We decide that's probably the best plan and as we finish our food, he chatters about an Ovilus machine and SpeakJet box that we can use and I'm pretty lost considering I have no idea what he's talking about and my eyes glaze over.

"I'm sorry. I get carried away sometimes. I don't know many people who are into searching for ghosts."

"I wouldn't say I'm 'into' ghosts, but rather forced into it. Ghosts have recently taken over my life it would seem. I would be fine with never encountering one again when this is all over with. When can we do this?"

"How about in two weeks? My family is going on vacation all next week and you will need to schedule for your dad to be out of the house for the weekend. Is two weeks going to be enough time?"

_Two weeks?_ Two weeks of not being able to see Edward. I want to cry. I want to do this tomorrow. No, today! Today would be so much better. But I'm also realistic. I'll see if Carlisle is okay with funding a weekend away of fishing. We'll have to make him believe he won the trip or something like that. I guess I have a call to make.

xxxxx

There's no place like home. There's no place like home. Ah. I'm channeling my inner Dorothy. Don't get me wrong, I love rooming with Alice, but you just can't replace the feeling of being _home_. There's nothing outwardly spectacular about our three-bedroom ranch style home, but it's the only house I've ever lived in. It will forever be home to me. A smile involuntarily crosses my face as my dad's orange tabby cat, Embry, rubs up against my shins.

"It's good to have you home Bells. I think Embry misses you too. He's been a bit of a grump lately, growling and hissing at random. I'd swear that you'd think he'd seen a ghost or something." He gives a hearty laugh, but I stiffen and feel the blood rush from my face. I force myself to compose my face before my dad notices the effect his words have on me and attempt to joke back.

"Ha-Ha, Dad. Ghosts? Really, Dad, are you on crack?" Can he tell I'm on edge?

"Aren't animals supposed to be more sensitive to that sort of thing? Aw, c'mon, Bells I'm just joking, but since you're back home, hopefully his mood will improve." I swear that cat is his second child—the son he never had.

"You're not going out of town to visit Alice or Rose over the break, are you?"

"No, why?"

"It's the strangest thing; I won a fishing get-away for the weekend right before Christmas. I don't remember registering for it, but some guy named Anthony from a travel agency called today and said I won it. Oh well. If someone wants to give me a free trip, I'm not going to stop them. I'm going to take Billy and Jake. I figured that you wouldn't want to go, but I will need you to feed Embry for me, if you don't mind."

I nod my head in agreement. 'Anthony' huh? Something tells me his first name is actually 'Edward'.

"They're Fedexing the plane tickets and trip itinerary so I should have it tomorrow."

"So where is this big excursion taking you to?" As I'm wondering how creative and carried away Carlisle and Edward got.

"We're going to Key West. Can you believe it? Winter fishing is supposed to be amazing down there. You can catch mackerel, red fish and tuna. Amazing." I love the far away, dreamy look he gets in his eyes as he talks about what he can catch. He's like a little boy who just won a bicycle or got a Red Ryder bb gun for Christmas. "We fly down on Delta on Thursday and stay at the Key West Marriott. I'll give you all the info in case of emergencies and I'll always have my phone on me. We'll be back Sunday night around seven." I wonder to myself how much money this is costing Carlisle, and I feel slightly bad. This is my ghost problem, not his. Though there is nothing I can do about it now.

Later that night, Charlie knocks on my bedroom door startling me from my restless sleep.

"Bells? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine," I croak out rough from sleep. "Why are you waking me up at three in the morning?"

"I could swear I heard you scream and then, I must have been half asleep still because I saw you standing at the foot of my bed, laughing, but when I blinked and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, you were gone. I just wanted to make sure that you are in fact okay and hadn't bee in my room."

I'm now wide awake and scared, but try play it off coolly. "You must have been dreaming, dad. You should go back to sleep." My acting skills are getting better these days.

"Yep. It was the weirdest thing and it felt so real. You were standing there at the foot of my bed in a hoop skirt dress, you know the ones from Civil War days. That's what really made me think I must be dreaming . I shouldn't have had that last cup of coffee with dinner. Oh well. I'll let you get back to sleep. Sorry for waking you. Night."

"Night."

I don't know if I can handle two more weeks of this. First, Embry's hissing and growling at what seems like nothing, and now Irene appears in front my dad and scares him enough to have him wake me at three in the morning. I am going to need some anxiety meds or I'm going to have heart failure before the next two weeks pass.

* * *

**AN:**

**I'm participating in the Fandom for Preemies (my dd & I were both preemies): fandomforpreemies . blogspot . com **

**Links for the haunted history of the beautiful and historic Read House where room 311 is supposed to be the most ghostly area of the hotel.**

**www . youtube . com/watch?v=ad-dgQ2PaIo (I hate that FFn won't allow hyperlinks)**

**www . waymarking . com/waymarks/WM23N5_Read_House_Hotel_Haunted_Room_311**


	17. This Is Not My Idea of a Good Time

**Shameless Pimpage Alert: **

**Check out my canon Tanya one-shot for Fandom for Preemies. DD and I were both preemies so it's a cause close to my heart. I also highly encourage you to donate to the March of Dimes regardless of a fandom auction or what have you. :)  
**

**Big thanks to my beta, PrincessKris, for all her help with this story and the O/S. Also, check out The Twi Girls Next Door! www . twigirlsnextdoor . com**

**I've never participated in a séance so I hope it's not too off. Feel free to tell me I'm blowing smoke out of my butt if so. LOL  
**

* * *

**The Legend of Green Eyes**

**Chapter 17 – This is Not My Idea of a Good Time  
**

_Previously in LOGE: Decision was made to contact Irene Marie with the help of Eric's paranormal group to try and get her to move on before any more damage could be caused._

The last couple of weeks have been almost unbearable. Not being able to see Edward is excruciating, but the end is finally in sight. On one hand, I'm eager to get rid of the last of these unwelcome ghosts once and for all, but I am not looking forward to summoning her forward on purpose. At least my dad is excited to head to the Florida Keys with Jake and Billy for this fishing trip. I gave Edward quite a talking to on the phone about how extravagant he and Carlisle went in planning this trip. My dad would have been happy heading to some remote cabin near a lake as long as it had good fishing. He's not a picky or extravagant guy. He said Carlisle was surfing on the high of recently having had the babies and would have probably agreed to just about anything. He seems like such a sweet daddy. I bet I could I have conned him into paying for my Masters degree? _Hmm?_

I have tried to distract myself from missing Edward and the upcoming séance with completing grad school applications and studying for the GRE. I decided that I want to become a professor. It's not just because I admire Dr. Cullen, but there's just something really cool about teaching others-especially those that are paying to hear your theories. In high school, the students are forced to be there so it's not quite the same although I won't count that out completely just yet. I take the GRE next month. It's been so long since I've taken a college math course that I'm sure I'll tank that section. Thankfully, a graduate program in English won't focus too much on that area. My first choice is Georgia State University, located in Atlanta, to complete my Masters of Arts in English degree. It will be nice to pay in-state tuition for once and to get a taste of the big city life. The University of Georgia, where Carlisle once taught, has a beautiful campus, but I'm anxious for a big metropolis like Atlanta. The University of Georgia would be a great possibility for getting my PhD. However, lets take one step at a time. Otherwise, I may get overwhelmed or discouraged. I also need to keep Edward's plans in mind. We'll need to figure it out together. Yeah, I like to plan.

In the meantime, I lose myself in some DVDs I recently picked up. There's this popular vampire series that everyone is talking about and three of the movies are on DVD. Edward and I chat on the phone while we both watch and we both make fun of the lead actress who seems to have a total of two facial expressions. I keep saying that the Native American dude is hot and he counter argues that the chicks playing the vampire sisters are babes. Oh, how I wish we could banter like this in person. We love teasing each other. Most guys would be super jealous, but Edward just rolls with it and gives as good as he gets.

Edward and I talk on the phone several times a day for hours at a time. That is saying something since I'm not the type of person who likes to yap on the phone for eons. It took Alice awhile to figure that out because she kept getting her feelings hurt that I'd always cut our conversations on the phone short, but I'd rather talk to my friends in person, if possible.

_Man_, I miss Edward so much. He said things are relatively calm at his house and he is helping with the twins. They're not sleeping through the night yet and I warned him that it would probably be at least another month before there's even a remote chance of that happening. I babysat in high school for spending cash and in the process picked up quite a bit of knowledge both from experience and complaining mothers. He, Carlisle, and Esme take turns getting up with the twins during the night. I can't wait to see Edward with them. My ovaries will probably explode at the sight of him cuddling and feeding one of the twins. _Sigh._ Throw in him _and_ Carlisle with the babies, and that equals me passed out on Dr. C.'s hardwood floors. I chuckle when I wonder how Esme is still breathing at this point. A hot guy plus a baby equals a guaranteed heart attack for sure. That ranks right up there with seeing a hot guy with a puppy or a kitten. Oh, dang it. I'm now visualizing Edward with kittens. Kill. Me. Now. My friends will have to do CPR if we ever have babies, kittens or puppies.

I'm getting super nervous because my dad, Jake, and Billy left Thursday to fly to the Keys and it is now approaching Friday evening which is when we planned on doing the séance. Eric recommended having as many of my friends here as possible to counteract Irene's force since she seems to be a formidable spirit. I've invited Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie to take part. As I've said in the past, I hate dragging them into this, but I don't have much choice at this point and I think they'd all kick my butt if I didn't include them in something this big. I have some pretty wonderful, dedicated, and fearless friends. Eric also said he would bring along some of his paranormal society buddies.

A few hours pass. I'm pacing and wearing out the carpet in the meantime while Embry looks at me like I'm nuts. Eric arrives right on time and introduces me to his friends Seth, Quil and Brady, who are in the club with him.

"Okay, Bella, where should we set everything up?"

"Um, er, I guess the family room works as well as anywhere else." I shrug my shoulders and sweep my arm in the direction of the living room. I doubt they want to do a séance in my dad's bedroom or mine. We might as well do it in the area of the house where most people congregate.

Eric and company push the couch and chairs against the walls, and set up all their equipment in the middle of the room. I assume we will gather around this vicinity and hold hands or something. I've never done this before and am pretty clueless as to how it will work. I looked séances up on Wikipedia, but there wasn't much info. The fact that Embry is growling from the corner of the room is not lost on me and once they are done setting up the equipment, he trots off to my dad's room. I doubt we will see him again tonight. I'll never look at that cat in the same way ever again. Embry Swan is my ally in this debacle.

The rest of my friends appear at my doorstep shortly after Eric is done setting up. Alice and Jasper appear first and about twenty minutes later, Emmett and Rose show up.

"Where's this party happening?" Emmett jokingly bellows while dancing into my dad's house with a six-pack in one hand and Rosalie's hand in the other. I love that guy. He knows how to diffuse a tense situation like no other. It is shame that so many people dismiss him as silly or dumb due to his joking manner and jock-like exterior. The guy is intuitive, smart and gets a real feel for things. It is what has made him so successful with his fraternity and with Rose.

Now that everyone is here, Eric pipes up, "Hello, everyone. I recognize you all a little from when we all went to the Battlefield in late summer, so I'd just like to say hello again." He nods and grins to everyone in attendance. I always dismissed him as a shy techno geek, but he certainly has command of this audience.

"First I want to ask anyone who may have put on cologne or perfume before arriving to go wash it off. I know you can't change clothes if it got on them, but at least go wash what you can off because we need to be open to different scents. Ghosts can sometimes carry smells with their presence. Also, be aware of temperature changes. I brought a few pieces of equipment that will monitor this type of thing, but I always like the human opinion also. In the middle of our circle near me, you'll notice a digital thermometer, EMF detector, and an ovilious for good measure. The temp may go down if a spirit is present and the EMF and ovilious will use a spirit's energy to control response to our questions. Quil will monitor the EMF, Brady the ovilious and Seth will keep tabs on the temp.

"I also ask that everyone be on your toes in spotting orbs or any other unusual apparitions. They can be fleeting, but they are important. I will be the mouthpiece of this séance since other than the friends I brought here, I'm assuming that no one else has ever participated in a séance before, right?"

We all nod our heads "yes."

"Then let us begin," he croons ominously, takes a deep breath and begins. He turns on a digital voice recorder and a video camera with night vision to document our experience

As he turns off the lights and we are sitting there in the dark with nothing but the digital display from the microwave in the kitchen lighting the room.I'm about to pee my pants. Poor Charlie would die if he knew this was happening in his house.

"Irene Marie, we know you are near and we wish to welcome you in. Please help us communicate with you. Make yourself known to us."

Several minutes pass (it feels like an eternity), and a cool wind blows through and I get chills, but I don't know if the goosebumps are mental or physical. This is not my idea of a good time. Now Garbage songs are making their way into my head. Can't help it. I love their first CD. Shirley Manson has an amazing alto. Focus, Bella. Focus.

It's almost as if a cold tornado sweeps through. I try to keep hold of Rose and Emmett's hands. I think 'death grip' would be a more apt description.

"Who dares mess with me? Who dares to call me here? I do not appreciate being called forth unless it is when I prefer."

I thought Irene was scary before, but this beats all previous encounters. This apparition is fit to be tied. She prefers to do things on her own time and thrives on control. If I didn't know better, I'd swear she has fangs and was about to shank someone.

She zeroes in on me and my eyes widen.

"Ah. This makes sense now. The new girlfriend wishes to have a chit-chat," she says smugly with narrowed eyes. "I will enjoy this. You obviously have not learned to mind your own business yet." She smiles cruelly.

I want to wipe the smug smile right off her ghostly face. At this point, I'm not afraid. I'm just furious. She's messed with too many lives. Screwed with too many people. Either I'm crazy or brave, but who cares? I don't care at this point. I just want this to be over so I can be with Edward and we can move on with our lives.

I stand up, shaking off Rose and Emmett's hands.

"I want you out of my life! Now! I want you gone forever. You have no business here. You've had your fun. Your business here in this realm is over." I jab my pointer finger in her direction.

I square my shoulders, lift my chin, stand tall, and in my most assertive voice exclaim in a half snarl, "You. Are. Done. Now!" I know I'm wild-eyed at this point, but I don't care. I'm fed up and furious. I feel like I've gone insane at this point.

"Screw you, Irene. We banish you NOW! If you show up here again to my loved ones or me, there will be hell to pay. I promise. Do. Not. Mess. With. Me. Or. My. Family."

I feel electricity jolt through by body and fall flat on my back. She screams and swirls away in a spiral mist. It's blood curdling. I'm back on the floor, and not sure what I've just done or what just got into me. Rosalie cupped her palms and caught my head before it had a chance to thunk on the floor.

The candles and lights suddenly flare up and I'm dazed. I crane my neck to realize that Rose and Emmett are cradling me like a baby. What just happened? Why am I sore? I feel like I just ran three marathons. Ugh!

I grunt.

"Whoa, there, champ," Emmett calls. "Remind me not to mess with you." His smirk contains respect and amusement.

"Wha-what?" I'm so foggy.

Em and Rose give light fist-bumps that I weakly return with a limp wrist out of reflex. Then I hear Rose chatting softly with some male voices. Before I know it, the others have left and Emmett is carrying me to my bed.

"Rose and I will be on the couch and Alice and Jasper will be in the guest room. We won't be far. Just yell if you need anything."

It sounds like he's underwater.

I slur to Rose and Em, "Crash on my dad's bed. Just don't do anything freaky, okay?"

They all laugh. "It's a good sign that her sense of humor is still intact," someone says. I think it is Alice.

My head feels like it's going to split open. Ugh. Kill me now. Aleve! Tylenol! Advil! Argh. But I don't have the strength to ask for it so I curl up on my side while Embry settles in and purrs like a motor on the pillow next to me.

I have no idea what has happened here tonight. I don't know if Irene is gone and at this point I can't come up with enough energy to care. I drift off to a dreamless sleep hoping that this is finally all behind us.

* * *

**A/N:**

**The GRE is the Graduate Record Examination test, and next we will see if anything happened to Edward during the seance. **

**Recs:**

**Law of Inertia by IvoryAdulation (her other stories rock as well)**

**You Are My Life Now by Ishey-EJ**

**Simmer, Steam and Sizzle by Emmy415 & TaraBear029**

**(all can be found on FFn)**

**The Garbage song is Not My Idea from their self-titled CD.**

**As far as fiction (ghost) books you can buy, I highly suggest "A Certain Slant of Light" by Laura Whitcomb. I stayed up the whole night reading it. You can get it from Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon, etc.**

**I know this is an epically long author's note but, if you're in the market for an eReader that lets you read fics, I suggest the Barnes & Noble Nook (I have one). I use this app when I want to DL a fic (fanfictionloader . appspot . com). Some authors may not want you to DL their fic, but I don't mind especially since I will not be publishing this. I'm working on a separate original story that I hope to finish & publish one day. **** Sorry for the epically long a/n.**


	18. Tis the Season

**Chapter 18: Tis the Season**

**I apologize profusely for the gap in updates. I sooo appreciate any one who is still hanging in there (you have no idea). I never wanted to abandon this fic, but I had a mad case of writer's block & partially lost interest in fic in general. It's been just shy of a year since my last update. **Face blushes in embarrassment****

_Previously in LoGE: the main friends, Eric, and his paranormal club peeps held a seance at Bella's house and finally got rid of Irene Marie. Bella and Edward had not been able to spend time together because of her threats. IM is gone for good, FYI._

* * *

I awake the next morning in my little bed. My head feels like it's been hit by bricks and I wiggle my fingers and toes experimentally. Ugh. I feel hung over, but I didn't have anything to drink but water last night. No, it's more than that. I feel like I've been run over by a truck and been jolted by electricity. That stupid seance. However, I do, finally, feel a sense of peace that I didn't have before. I always felt Irene Marie was a nagging parasite in the back of my head, but I no longer feel that way. Can it really be totally over? Can Edward and I finally be free to continue on? I guess the real test will be when we see each other again and see if anything happens. I hate to test things that way, but I'm a skeptic and really don't know what else to do.

This Saturday morning when I finally crawl out of bed and shower, I find my friends already chattering over coffee, tea and Pop-Tarts.

"Ah! The dead has arisen!," booms Emmett. I give him a nasty leer.

"Ha! Funny." I give him my dirtiest look.

"Yeah, I know. I'm not known for my tact." He really does look contrite. It's impossible for me to stay mad at him for longer than two minutes.

"Join us for some breakfast libations and sustenance," cheers the always upbeat Alice.

"Sure," I grumble and shuffle my way to the counter and plop heavily on the stool.

xx

Alice left with Jasper to celebrate Christmas with his family since they spent Thanksgiving with her folks and Rose and Emmett are headed to spend the holiday with his family. My dad is finally back and we are spending Christmas Eve with him, Billy, Jake and some of their relatives. I've already gotten the okay to head up to the Cullens' for the actual holiday. I think he, Billy and Jake plan on fishing that morning. I swear. My dad needs a 12-step program for his fishing addiction. He should retire from the force and fish professionally.

On more positive news, Edward took his GED and passed with flying colors and has already started applying to colleges. I feel bad that he is applying to the ones I want to go to for grad school though he plans on going to UTC for his freshman year since I still will have some time left. However, it's his choice. I figure we can make this decision together-where I go and where he goes since we know we want to be together. Speaking of tests, I think I did really well on my GRE and already sent in my essays and applications. I only have a year and a half left of my undergrad stuff. _Yay!_ I think Carlisle might be able to pull some strings with the admin to get Edward's acceptance expedited so he can start next fall as I start my senior year.

As I drive across the river, I'm a bit more upbeat than I have been in ancient ages. I'm finally seeing Edward for the first time since the seance. I know. It's not like we_didn't_ want to see each other, but we've both been running around mad with holiday preparations and his still helping out with the twins and Tanya have kept him quite busy. As I've said before, him + babies, kittens, puppies, etc = me dead. They might need to scrape me up off the floor when I walk in that house. I was a bit perplexed as to what to get him for Christmas, but I got him some clothes to help supplement his now-modern wardrobe, CDs I think he might enjoy, and some books on modern history (Charlie helped me pick those out). I got Tanya some cute clothes from Justice, Esme a giftcard for a back massage, the twins some miscellaneous baby toys and Carlisle a scarf.

I ring the doorbell and an enthusiastic Tanya, bouncing curls and all, greets me at the door.

"Hey, girlie!" I croon.

"Hello, auntie Bella! I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too, sweet girl. Where are your little sisters?" I crouch down to give her a big hug.

"They're napping. They don't do much. I'd hope I'd be able to play with them more, but Mommy lets me feed 'em and rock 'em to sleep."

"But that's amazing. That's what babies need. They'll appreciate that one day. They're not quite like your babydolls." I give Tanya my most hopeful face.

I scoop up my presents and enter into the foyer where Edward (quite a sight for my sore eyes) greets me.

I'm about to drool on the spot. Maybe it's because I haven't seen him in awhile, but he induces my saliva glands. He's wearing some dark rinse jeans that outline his long legs perfectly, a gray tee that fits superbly across his chest and some dark sneakers. Not to mention, his hair is in a bit of disarray because I know he's probably been running his hands through it all morning. And to think that this guy wants to be with me. Hey. As I've said previously, I've never had good luck with guys before him. My "luck" can be questioned with all we went through, but it is _oh so_ worth it.

We eat lunch consisting of ham, mashed potatoes, and various side dishes. Once we're painfully stuffed, it's time for gifts! And that's Tanya's clue to begin her emcee duties.

"Okay, everyone! It's time for PRESENTS!" she sings. Ah, to be in elementary school again. "I'm going to play Santa and hand everything out and then we'll take turns opening and saying who the gift is from. Got it?" She's dead serious now. I think she has a future in the military. I would not dare cross this little girl at this moment.

Tanya dutifully and efficiently doles out the gifts one by one and then it's finally time to open them. She announces that her daddy is to go first. I, apparently, was not the only person who thought Esme would appreciate a back rub (after carrying twins, the woman sooo deserves it). Tanya got clothes, books, and gift cards. Edward laughed at the history books I bought him. He, Carlisle and Esme did a joint present and got me the new Nook Tablet. I love it, but it's way too much. I'm overwhelmed. After presents, I play with the babies, chit-chat, and we drink some white wine. As the evening is winding down and the wine has worn off, Edward pulls me off to the side on the back porch, over-looking the river. I assume he's just wanting some make-out time since we've been short of that lately. It's rude to start pawing all over each other in the kitchen and family room in front of everyone.

"Hey, woman. I've missed you," he coos and pulls me into an embrace and we start kissing. "I've missed you too," I breathlessly reply.

"I've wanted to get you alone all night."

"Mmmhmm." I'm encouraging more kissing. Stop talking, dude. More kissing.

"I've missed you, Bella."

"Mmmhmm. So you've said." Continue lip-lock.

"There's something I want to talk to you about. Something I want to ask."

"Yeah, what?" Smooches.

"Bella, let go of me for a second. Not that I'm complaining, but hold on a moment." His nervous laugh jolts me.

"You're not dumping me, are you?" I feel the blood drain from my face. Oh great. He's finally realized he can do better or rushed into things with me. He wants to explore his new-found humanity and it doesn't include moi. I'm so getting dumped. It's always right before or after a major holiday. I feel tears on the verge of surfacing. My first boyfriend, during sophomore year in high school, dumped me right after Valentine's Day because he thought it would be rude to do it before. Jerk. I hoped those red carnations cost him a lot of money. I even painted my finger and toenails red to be festive both then and now.

"Bella," a soft voice persists and I shake my head out of this memory.

"Uh. I'm sorry. Just a bit out of it." I smile sheepishly.

"I brought you out of here for some privacy and to talk a bit."

Oh no. Here it comes. The hammer.

"Bella. I know we haven't known each other very long and I hope you don't think I take these things frivolously. I've really thought about it. I've even talked to Carlisle at length. If anyone understands what I've went through, it's him. I asked him about Esme and how he knew she was the one."

A cold sweat is starting to break out on my face. "Uh," I croak.

"I also spoke to your dad and he gave me his permission..."

Wha? Since when is he conversing with Charlie?

"He said he didn't know your mother, Renee, not that you don't know your mom's name... very long." He's rambling now and laughing nervously. I think he's also breaking out into a sweat. How nice. That makes two of us.

"Basically, with both of these men I admire and respect, they said that when you know, you know. Don't get me wrong. With Irene, it just wasn't the same."

Erm. What is he getting at?

"It was more like that people expected us to be together and we got along well enough. Our families were compatible. Things were different then..." Sweat beads trickle down the side of his temple despite the chilly weather. "...we've been through so much together. We've already fought through tough times... Through supernatural occurrences..."

I'm about to pass out here.

"Basically, Isabella Marie Swan, will you marry me?" He kneels down in front of me with a small box. My ability to talk has left me. I open and close my mouth, and am big-eyed like the carp at Lake Winnepesaukah.

"Are you sure? Me?" I croak with self-doubt. My brow furrows in question.

"More than I've ever been sure about anything," he smiles nervously. "I've been engaged before. I know the difference." He glances down and blushes.

"Call me crazy and reckless, but YES!" I fall down to my knees and crab him, kissing and hugging.

"Oh. Hold on. Wait. The ring."

I hadn't even thought about that. I've never been a big jewelry person. I could get a simple gold band on my wedding day and that would be fine.

"You didn't have to get an engagement ring. A band will be fine when we get married."

He fumbles and produces the box. I must have made him drop it when I grabbed him. Hey, don't blame me. You'd grab him too.

He eventually opens it and show me a lovely antique gold and diamond ring. It's beautiful and delicate. Perfect. Victorian. Just like from the era he hails from.

"Um, if you don't like it, we can find something else." He looks nervously to the ground.

"No! It's perfect! Amazing. Perfect for us. Old fashioned," I giggle. I'm out of breath now and he places the ring on my left hand. Heck, it even fits!

We burst into the house and yell out, "Guess what!" However, the entire Cullen clan knew all about this beforehand, as did my dad, but the family is kind and lets us have our excitement. Esme coos over the ring though she's already seen it (as it turns out, she helped pick it out) and I rush to call my dad and tell of him of the news. I reassure him that we won't marry until I'm done with my four-year degree and then Edward will have one year of college under his belt. I think I'm just as bad as Alice. I'm already calculating time tables in my head. That will give us a year and a half of engagement. Who knew I was a bridezilla? Okay. So that's stretching it.

Once we calm down a bit and have a chance to chat, I ask him if waiting until I'm done at UTC is okay and ask if maybe we could wait until not this coming summer, but the next one (a year after Rose and Em's wedding which is also a few weeks before Alice and Jasper's). Then we'll be married before I start graduate school. We can discuss whether we'll stay here or we could go to a different city (that's what I had originally planned). I love my hometown, but I'm ready to explore a bit. He assures me that he has no problem transferring and that as long as we're together, it will be fine. I plan to prod him more about this because this is just as much as my future as his.

For now, we cuddle up in the den on the sofa, away from his family buzzing about in the kitchen, and just revel in the comfort of each other.

* * *

**AN: Lake Winnepesaukah is an amusement park just below the Tn/Ga state line: www . lakewinnie . com It has these HUGE carp that live off of the popcorn park-goers feed them. They are massive! I kid you not. This is how I envision Bella's ring (not that bedazzled cockroach monstrosity from the movies): applesofgold Merchant2/vintage-jewelry/HGO-R128WC . jpg (From my searching, this ring is Victorian style which would be Edward's era-just take out the spaces in the URL-will also post on the profile.) This fic has largely been an homage to my hometown. :) Also, my dad reminds me a lot of Charlie.**


	19. Writer's Note

For awhile I lost interest in fic. I reread "Pride & Prejudice" recently and it reignited my interest in "Twilight" & fic for some unknown reason. It also doesn't hurt that the movie star drama is now over. Sorry to whomever this may offend, but I _never, ever_ thought they were more than friends and when Kristen publicly humiliated their fauxmance/him, it prob ruined any remnants of friendship. Yes, her boyfriend was British...oh and married. Sorry, Stewart has always come off as vile, dirty (literally-she needs to shower) and entitled. She had such an ardent cult of fans around her it was CREEPY (blind devotion). Additionally, I was so burnt out and this was never a big fic (I'm not whining so please do not interpret that in this post) so didn't have a lot of encouragement to go further. Perhaps I'll write another fic in the future.

With LOGE I may be inclined to do an epilogue. I still hold this story with a great deal of affection and thought their engagement might be a good place to stop. I felt bad for folks who added it to their alerts when I didn't have a clue how to continue and then decided to label it "complete."

For those who may come across this post, feel free to comment or PM any ideas you may like. Most fics get attention for lemons and I only do mild citrus. I prefer to let one's imagination do the work and I'd suck at writing true lemons. I only made LOGE rated M to get more readers (had a reader/friend tell me she usually didn't read T rated ones because normally they came across juvenile). I know I've pimped Openhome's fics before, but all of hers are T rated or less and ALL well written. Her Alice stories could have been written by Meyer, IMO. Very pre-Twilight Alice/Jasper.


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